On Dec. 19, Mr. Wang Chengbin, Deputy Director-General of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education (JPDE), and Prof. Yan Xiaohong, President of Jiangsu University (JSU) met with Mr. Mouhamadou Ei Bachir Diak, Consul General of Senegal in Guangdong, and other important guests. Ms. Shi Yunyu, Deputy Director of International Office of JPDE, Ms. Huang Ting, Director of International Office of JSU, Prof. Pan Jianferng, Dean of Overseas Education College of JSU attended the meeting.

Mr. Mouhamadou Ei Bachir Diak, Consul General of Senegal in Guangdong, Mr. Zhang Zhongjun, Assistant Representative from UNFAO in China, Mr. Fu Lang, Chairman of the African Studies Alliance and Mr. Liu Jisen, Secretary-General of the African Studies Alliance came to JSU to participate in the 2020 “Belt and Road" Forum for International Cooperation and Development on Agricultural Modernization, during which they had talks and exchanges.

Mr. Wang Chengbin extended a warm welcome to all the guests. He pointed out that Jiangsu Province was an economic and education power in China. It ranks among the best in basic education, higher education and vocational education. We have achieved gratifying outcomes through the education and economic cooperation between Jiangsu and African countries. For example, two Confucius Institutes, one Confucius Classroom, and 9 overseas educational institutions and projects catering for vocational education have been established in Africa. Technical support projects and talent training projects in areas of planting, animal husbandry, mechanical and electrical industries have been developed there, contributing to the multi-sector and in-depth talents cultivation in Africa. Among all these, JSU has played its due part with its adherence to the agricultural machinery, as one unit being selected into the first batch of High-Level University Construction Universities in Jiangsu Province, destinations for international students to study in Jiangsu Province, and universities with quality certification for overseas study by China’s Ministry of Education. The visit would further open up important opportunities for cooperation between Jiangsu Province, especially JSU, and Africa, especially Senegal. The Provincial Department of Education would provide strong support.

The guests fully affirmed the cooperation that Jiangsu Province has carried out in Africa and spoke highly of the high-quality internationalization of Jiangsu Province, especially JSU. Mr. Mouhamadou Ei Bachir Diak said that Senegal was in urgent need to improve technology and productivity in such fields as rice planting and aquaculture. He hoped to strengthen cooperation with JSU in agricultural machinery, talent cultivation and other fields.