Liberia: 131 Liberians Get Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China has granted the prestigious Chinese Ambassador Scholarship to 131 talented Liberian university students. The scholarship program, which was officially launched on November 27, 2023, took place at the University of Liberia’s main campus auditorium.
The Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship of Excellence was awarded to outstanding students from several institutions, including the University of Liberia, Tubman University, Cuttington University, and Bomi County Community College.
Since its inception in 2011, the scholarship has been dedicated to empowering exceptional students in Liberia, and over 1,000 deserving Liberian students have received this prestigious honor.
Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Yin Chengwu, expressed his pleasure at witnessing the positive impact the scholarship has had on the students, emphasizing that the scholarship has not only encouraged them to work hard and pursue their dreams but has also fostered their interest in learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture, thus strengthening the friendship between China and Liberia.
Ambassador Yin highlighted the significance of education in cultivating a country's culture and society. He emphasized the long-standing importance placed on education by the Chinese people throughout history and stressed that cultivating good customs starts with education.
“Education relates to the fundamentals of a country, a culture, and a society. Since ancient times, the Chinese people have attached great importance to education. More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese sages said that if a country wants to cultivate good customs, it must start with education,” he said.
Since the resumption of diplomatic relations in 2003, China has sponsored more than 800 Liberian students through scholarships and various programs, enabling them to pursue degree programs in China, and over 2,000 Liberian students have participated in short-term training programs.
One notable contribution to educational cooperation is the establishment of the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia in 2008, which has attracted many students to learn Chinese and Chinese culture, as well as facilitated connections with local Chinese enterprises.
The Ambassador believes that China-Liberia educational cooperation has provided numerous Liberians with opportunities for enhancing their knowledge and skills, ultimately opening doors for personal growth and development. With China's ongoing commitment to high-level opening-up, educational cooperation between China and Liberia holds even more promise for the future.
The ambassador also highlighted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposed Global Civilization Initiative, emphasizing its focus on respecting the diversity of civilizations, promoting mutual understanding, and fostering friendship among nations. This initiative acts as strategic guidance for cultural exchanges and mutual learning between countries, including China and Liberia.
He expressed his belief that cultural exchanges between China and Liberia will further strengthen friendship and mutual cooperation.
“I believe that the deepening of China-Liberia cultural exchanges will promote friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation and further our bilateral relations. I sincerely hope that more and more young people from China and Liberia will get to know each other, learn and understand each other's languages and cultures, and become a new generation of envoys of friendship between the two countries,” he said.
He expressed hope that young people from both countries will continue to engage and understand each other’s languages and cultures, becoming the new generation of ambassadors of friendship between China and Liberia. In conclusion, the Scholarships provided by the Chinese government will enable Liberian students to pursue their academic goals in China.
The scholarship program, along with broader educational cooperation between China and Liberia, has been instrumental in fostering friendship, cultural understanding, and mutual cooperation between the two nations.