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Kurdistan
The department is the first of its kind in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole. Photo: Twitter
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Erbil’s Salahaddin University on Tuesday witnessed the opening of the only Chinese Language department across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
The opening of the department is hoped to strengthen the region's ties with the People’s Republic of China.
A ceremony marking the occasion was attended by several high-profile figures, including the deputy speaker of the Kurdistan’s Region Parliament, Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chinese Consul General Ni Ruchi.
The department will allow the “world to get acquainted with the culture, traditional and history of China,” said Higher Education Minister Aram Mohammed Qadir in a speech at the opening ceremony.
Prospective can apply for a bachelor’s degree to be offered by its staff.
“We hope that opening the Chinese Language department results in strengthening bilateral ties between the Kurdistan Region and the Chinese People’s Republic,” Minister Qadir added.
According to the Minister, Kurdish universities are also open to receiving students from China.
Hemin Hawrami, Kurdistan’s Deputy Parliament Speaker took to Twitter to congratulate Salahaddin staff and students, and described the opening as an “important key to boost relations” between the two countries.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Foreign Relations Department hailed the opening as a “great move” to strengthen Kurdistan’s “open-door” foreign policy and enrich cultural ties with China, it said in a tweet.
The Chinese consulate general in Erbil announced on September 20 the arrival of two Chinese language teachers to the Kurdistan Region.
The Chinese Consul General Ni Ruchi, who is a recent arrival to the region, has been seen speaking Kurdish in videos and other ceremonies.
At the event, Ni Ruchi wished the students well and encouraged them to work hard " to contribute to enhancing the mutual understanding and friendly cooperation between Chinese people and people of the Kurdistan Region”.
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