H.E. Mr. Li Ruiyou, Chinese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea (PNG), hosted a reception in the Embassy on August 26th to bid farewell to the 35 PNG recipients of the 2016 Chinese Government Scholarship. About 90 people, including the parents of the recipients, officials of the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology headed by the Deputy Secretary Mr. Charles Mabia and a representative of the returned PNG students from China, attended the reception.
In his remarks, Ambassador Li extended his warmest congratulations to the scholarship recipients and their families. He said “the bilateral relations between PNG and China have reached a new level”. “Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s official visit to China(in July 2016) greatly strengthened the friendly relationship between our two countries.” He pointed out that “education is one of the important areas of the exchanges and cooperation between China and PNG” and “about 300 PNG students have been awarded the Chinese Government Scholarships in the 13 years since 2003”.
Ambassador Li encouraged the awardees to overcome the cultural difference and the language barrier while studying in China, and not only to acquire professional knowledge, but also to get to know about China and make friends with Chinese people. He also expressed his wishes to see the awardees to serve their country with their professional knowledge after completion of study in China and to be envoys of friendship between PNG and China.
Mr. Charles Mabia expressed his gratitude towards the Chinese government for its investing in PNG’s Human Capital through this scholarship program. He said “the Government of Papua New Guinea appreciates this investment and is eager to work with the Chinese Government not only in higher education but other priority sectors as well.
The representative of returned PNG students from China shared his experience in China with the awardees.
