Shi Dalin, vice-president of Xiamen University (XMU), visited the University of the Philippines (UP) with a delegation from Sept 29 to 30, as China and the Philippines celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

They attended a series of events celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Confucius Institute that the two universities jointly established.

Nearly 200 participants attended the 10th anniversary ceremony held at the Diliman campus of UP, including Xiong Sheng, counselor of the Chinese embassy in the Philippines; Fidel Nemenzo, 11th chancellor of UP's Diliman campus; representatives from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc (FFCCCII); and faculty and students from Confucius Institutes and teaching sites across the country.

Shi Dalin, vice-president of XMU, addresses at the ceremony. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]

On behalf of XMU, Shi extended warm congratulations on the institute's development, noting the deep-rooted friendship between the two universities. He also highlighted the Confucius Institute's role as a solid platform for meeting growing local demand for Chinese language and culture education and for promoting exchanges and academic cooperation between the two countries.

Angelo A. Jimenez, president of UP, sent congratulations through a video message, calling the celebration both a review of achievements and a vision for future development.

Counselor Xiong also delivered remarks, commending the institute's accomplishments over the past decade and sharing expectations for the next ten years.

The anniversary events featured a commemorative ceremony, a traditional Chinese culture workshop, and a photo exhibition, showcasing the fruitful outcomes of cultural collaboration between XMU and UP over the past decade.

A performance is held during the anniversary ceremony. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]