Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hobart in the state of Tasmania in Australia on Nov 18. President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan were warmly received by the premier of Tasmania, Will Hodgman, and Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abott. Yang Lin, headmaster of Yunnan Normal University, and Professor Peter Rathjen, vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania, signed the cooperation contract constructing the China-Australia cross-cultural research center.

Peter Rathjen pointed out in his speech that Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Tasmania on Nov 18, making this day a historically important day. Yunnan Normal University and the University of Tasmania’s cooperation has played an important role in deepening China and Australia’s relationship and promoting the two countries’ education platform. The establishment of the research center is meaningful to the two countries in their communication and development.

“China and Australia have good foundation in cooperation. The Maritime Silk Road Strategy is a win-win strategy put forward by the Chinese government, seeking multilateral economic and trade development together. The China-Australia cross-culture research center is a comprehensive research platform organized by Yunnan Normal University and the University of Tasmania, while the platform is also open to the governments, enterprises and different social groups. We will cooperate with the University of Tasmania, Australia Education Group and Yunnan Xiye Corporation to promote cooperation in different areas, including education, culture, tourism and trade,” said Yang.

The cross-culture research center has received great attention from different media, such as Xinhua News Agency and ABC News. In Yang Lin’s interview with Xinhua News Agency, he put forward that the establishment of this cross-culture research center has positively responded to the “one belt, one road” strategy, referring to plans to revitalize the Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road raised by Chinese president Xi Jinping. It has combined the culture of communication with economic cooperation, integrating international resources and promoting talent training in two countries.

The signing ceremony of the construction of the China-Australia cross-cultural research center [Photo provided to China Daily]