Amid the music of Slovak songs by Chinese university students to
welcome him, Jan Figel, the visiting European Union Commissioner
for Education, Training, Cultural and Youth unveiled a
Chinese-language version EU Youth website yesterday.
Jan Figel, a native Slovak, launched the website at Beijing
Foreign Studies University (BFSU), during his six-day trip to
China.
The opening of the EU Youth website was the prelude to the
signing of two joint agreements between the European Commission and
the Chinese ministries of culture and education respectively in
Beijing yesterday, with Jan Figel presiding.
The two sides explicitly acknowledged "the crucial contribution
of culture to improving mutual understanding and tolerance" and the
intent to "further the mutual recognition of academic degrees" of
institutions between China and EU countries.
The joint agreements also specified the areas of cultural and
educational exchanges between China and EU, including that of
students, joint research and cultural projects.
"EU and China are already giving shape to a strategic and
comprehensive partnership that covers the whole spectrum: from
political cooperation all the way to economic and cultural
exchanges," Figel said.
"I expect that, in a not so distant future, the strategy of
academic and cultural cooperation that we are launching today will
translate into stronger trade links between the countries of the
European Union and China."
During the six-day trip, Figel will also discuss sport with his
Chinese counterparts.
"This is the perfect time to talk about the impact of sport on
world affairs, because the Beijing Olympic Games are less than 10
months away. The Olympics will bring tremendous opportunities for
travel, exchange and dialogue," Figel said.
As to the Chinese language EU Youth website, Figel said that
languages are the best channels for both sides to establish deep
and lasting intercultural dialogue.
The Chinese version EU Youth website, based largely on existing
text and web-based content from European Commission sites, includes
news, education, sport and even travel information.
"I think this website would attract more Chinese youths not only
for its linguistic convenience but also for its interactive
content, like Europa GO games," Kang Shu, a second year student of
English studies at BFSU told China Daily.
"I'm interested in getting more useful information from this
website on EU's scholarship program, as I am one of the Chinese
students who want to get a chance to see what EU is really
like."
(China Daily October 23, 2007)