Peking University delegation visited Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 8. Wang Bo, Vice President of Peking University, led the delegation to attend the third board meeting of King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University (“Library Branch”), visited King Saud University and met with the university’s vice president Yousif A. Asiri, and called on Chen Weiqing, Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

On January 7, the delegation attended the third board meeting of King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University. Attendants of the meeting included: Faisal Muaammar, Chief Director of King Abdulaziz Public Library; Turki Almadi, Saudi Ambassador to China; Abdulkareem Zaid, Deputy Chief Director of King Abdulaziz Public Library; Representative of Aramco Asia; Representative of Saudi-Chinese Business Council; Wang Bo; Li Yuning, Secretary General of Peking University Education Foundation; Fu Zhiming, Vice Dean of the School of Foreign Languages; and Zhou Manli, Vice Dean of the Office of International Relations. The meeting was presided over by Zheng Qingwen, Secretary of the Party Committee of Peking University Library and Director of King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University.

At the board meeting

This was the first time for King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University to hold a board meeting in Riyadh. At the meeting, Faisal welcomed the visit of Peking University delegation. He said that the Library Branch project was the result of friendly cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, and thanked the Chinese government and Peking University for their attention and support. With 2020 being the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia, he hoped that the Library Branch in Peking University will further consolidate the knowledge and cultural exchanges between China and Saudi Arabia, and strengthen the cultural and academic ties between the two countries by organizing relevant academic and cultural activities.

Wang Bo expressed his gratitude to King Abdulaziz Public Library for its warm reception. He said that Peking University will continue to strengthen support for the operation and construction of the Library Branch, and that the two sides should work together to build the the Library Branch into a common knowledge and cultural center for the two countries, enabling it to play a better role as the bridge for cultural exchanges between China and Saudi Arabia.

Members of the board affirmed the Library Branch’s achievements in 2019, approved its work plan and budget for 2020, and signed the 2020 fund agreement. They also discussed how to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in the fields of culture and education through academic and cultural activities between China and Saudi Arabia.

Wang Bo presenting a souvenir to King Saud University

On January 8, the delegation visited King Saud University and met with Vice President Yousif A. Asiri. Asiri said that King Saud University, as the first comprehensive national university in Saudi Arabia, currently has 21 colleges, more than 60,000 students and 6,000 faculty members, and is the only university in Saudi Arabia that has opened a Chinese department. On the basis of existing exchanges, King Saud University hopes to carry out further in-depth cooperation with Peking University in the future. Wang Bo said that Peking University has traditional advantages in regional and country studies, especially in the study of Arabic language and culture. Peking University will continue to use existing platforms to explore possible cooperation with King Saud University in areas such as regional and country studies, student exchange, and summer schools. The delegation then visited the School of Language and Translation of the university.

Wang Bo and his associates calling on Chen Weiqing

On January 6, Wang Bo called on Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing. Chen Weiqing said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia, and the King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University is a representative achievement of the friendly exchanges between China and Saudi Arabia. Wang Bo thanked the ambassador for his affirmation of the work of the Library Branch in Peking University. In the future, Peking University will continue to do its best to promote exchanges with Saudi Arabia in education and culture, and jointly build a bridge for high-end academic cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.

During their stay in Saudi Arabia, the delegation also visited MiSK Foundation, King Faisal Academic and Islamic Research Center and other institutions to learn more about the possible cooperation in the future.

Source: https://news.pku.edu.cn/xwzh/770682db462b4d338c853d2918e5b1dd.htm