On November 14, XMU art troupe went on a week tour at the Confucius institutes in the UK. The troupe members toured and performed at the colleges and middle schools in Newcastle, Southampton, Cardiff, and London, their performance turned out to be a smash hit and received warm hospitality and high appraisals from the teachers, students as well as local people from all walks of life there. For one thing, the art troupe successfully accomplished the mission assigned by the Confucius Institute Headquarters, for another, their superb performance has effectively helped accentuate the visit of XMU’s high-level delegation to the UK and their exchanges with a multiplicity of higher education institutions there. Their tour has showcased and publicized the quintessential Chinese culture, brought renown to XMU, and deepened mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. The familiar curtain call music “Auld Lang Syne” echoed long in the ears and hearts of the audience, evoking beautiful feelings of empathy, mutual learning, win-win cooperation in their minds.

Since 2008, Xiamen University has set up three Confucius institutes with Cardiff University, University of Southampton and Newcastle University respectively, making XMU the only higher institution in China with the most Confucius institutes in the UK, which would serve as a bridge as well as a platform for exchanges and cooperation between universities and between China and the UK.