Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and Tianjin Deputy Mayor Zhao Haishan today opened the Confucius Institute at the Banjaluka University with a view to improving cooperation between Republika Srpska and China. Dodik has said that this is an important day for Republika Srpska and the Banjaluka University.
“The opening of the Confucius Institute is a proof of friendship and successful cooperation between Republika Srpska and China,” Dodik has said.
He noted that the project of forming the Institute has been implemented for several years in order to improve cooperation between Srpska and China.
“China pays great attention to this issue and I believe that the Institute will be able to implement various programs. There is the Department of Chinese Language at the University in Istocno Sarajevo, which is important, since we should cooperate with that country,” Dodik told reporters.
He has said that the world does not depend anymore on one political, economic and military center and that the power has been dispersed.
“China is an indispensable center of power in the world, and it is present in these parts through the 16 Plus Initiative. I am glad that several elementary schools will be presented this month where Chinese will be studied experimentally,” Dodik has said.
Republika Srpska Prime Minister Zeljka Cvijanovic, who attended the opening ceremony, has said that an important and large project, the forming of the Confucius Institute, was completed today.
“I would like to thank Universities which implemented it. Republika Srpska institutions want to strengthen and improve cooperation with China in the fields of economy, education and culture, with good political understanding, which, I think, we have,” Cvijanovic has said.
She has said that Srpska appreciates that Chinese companies and institutions are interested in cooperation.
“We are particularly satisfied with the fact that they are interested in several strategic traffic infrastructure and energy projects in Srpska. We are entering a great project of improving cooperation in education,” Cvijanovic has said and added that there is great interest in Srpska in learning Chinese.
The Chinese Ambassador to BiH, Chen Bo, has expressed satisfaction with the opening of the Confucius Institute in Banjaluka and thanked the Republika Srpska leadership for successful cooperation.
The Acting Rector of the Banjaluka University, Radoslav Gajanin, has said that Republika Srpska and this Institute will join a community of 525 Confucius Institutes in the world which are being attended by nine million students.
He has said that the Confucius Institute will contribute to educational, scientific, cultural and economic exchange.
Gajanin has said that the highest Chinese leadership supported the opening of the Institute.
“The priority in the operations of the Confucius Institute will be the studying of Chinese language and culture, as well as the studying of Serbian language and culture by Chinese students. Close ties between China and Republika Srpska have been established through the Institute and the Chinese Embassy in BiH,” Gajanin has said.
The representative of the Tianjin Deputy Mayor, Chao Jenmin, has said that with the opening of the Institute a stronger platform for cooperation between this city and Banjaluka has been created.
“I am glad that the Republika Srpska President and Prime Minister, with whom we have very friendly and good relationship, attended the opening ceremony, and I hope that our friendship and cooperation will continue in the future as well,” Jenmin has said.
BiH Foreign Minister Igor Crnadak has said that the opening of the Confucius Institute at the Banjaluka University is very important for Banjaluka, Republika Srpska and the whole of BiH, since it connects them with China.
“It is my pleasure that the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the BiH Embassy in Beijing gave their contribution to the implementation of this project, with the support of Republika Srpska institutions. I think that this is very important and useful for many segments of cooperation with China,” Crnadak has said.
The opening ceremony was attended by a delegation of the Chinese City of Tianjin, Banjaluka Mayor Igor Radojicic, and many guests.
Students will be able to attend lessons of Chinese language for free and best students will be able to visit China where they will have an opportunity to master Chinese language.
Also, there is a possibility of cooperation with Chinese Faculties, a possibility of student exchange, participation in joint projects and works, as well a possibility of publishing scientific papers in prestigious Chinese magazines.
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Source: srna
