From December 7th to 9th, 2023, the World Chinese Language Conference was held at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing to support the advancement of international Chinese language education, facilitate language and cultural exchanges and collaboration between China and other countries, and foster mutual understanding and friendship among people of different nationalities.

Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, delivered a keynote speech at the conference attended by over 2,000 people from more than 160 countries. Among the attendees were the heads of education authorities, educational institutions, international language and cultural institutions, international organizations, university presidents, renowned Chinese education experts, sinologists, diplomatic envoys in China, and business representatives. Mr. Lin Hongyu, the Vice President of Huaqiao University (HQU) and the head of the International Chinese Education Office were also invited to attend the conference.

Themed as “Chinese for the World, Openness into the Future”, the conference was hosted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the PRC and co-organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, the Chinese International Education Foundation, and the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching.

During the conference, Mr. Lin Hongyu, on behalf of HQU, signed a cooperation agreement with the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of MOE and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc.. The agreement is aimed at organizing international Chinese education volunteers to teach in the Philippines. Mr. Lin also met with Chinese and foreign leaders of Confucius Institutes (Classrooms) in Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines and communicated with foreign representatives to learn about the running of Confucius Institutes (Classrooms).

During the World Chinese Language Conference, several special parallel forums took place, including the First World Young Sinologists Forum, the Workshop for Professional Degree Construction and Personnel Training of International Chinese Language Education, the Working Meeting of Chinese Proficiency Test Centers, the “Chinese + TVET” Integrated Development Forum, the Second China-Gulf Cooperation Council Language and Culture Forum, and the Global Chinese Plus Conference. With the discussions on the new achievements, new demands, and new hotspots of language education and mutual learning across civilizations, Sino-foreign educational exchanges and cooperation, Chinese service for vocational education, and digital development of Chinese education, among other topics, these forums aimed to bring together Chinese and foreign forces to jointly promote the high-quality development of international Chinese education.

The Scene of the World Chinese Language Conference (CCTV News Broadcast)

Signing Ceremony

(Editor: Wei Linying)