On 18 December 2021, the 14th International Conference on Chinese Language Teaching of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching (ISCLT) was grandly held at Tianjin Normal University (TNU). Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Dr. Ma Jianfei, Secretary-General of ISCLT and Director-General of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of the Ministry of Education of China, Dr. Jing Hongyang, Director General of Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, Mr. Sun Hujun, Deputy Director General of Tianjin Development and Reform Commission, Dr. Luan Jianzhang, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) of Tianjin Municipal Government, and Dr. Zhang Ling, Secretary of the Party Committee of TNU, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Mr. Pehin Dato Rahmani, Ambassador of Brunei to China, Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China, and Mr. Raja Nushirwan, Ambassador of Malaysia to China, recorded congratulatory videos for the event. The opening ceremony was hosted by Dr. Zhong Yinghua, Chair of ISCLT and President of TNU. 

Dr. Zhang Ling pointed out that through the window of language transmission, international Chinese language teaching has not only shown the wisdom and image of China to the world, but also promoted mutual learning and exchanges of diverse cultures, and deepened the spiritual communication and emotional and cultural understandings between peoples from China and abroad. TNU will give full play to its characteristics of teachers and teaching, its advantages of inter-disciplinary integration and valuable experience gained for years in the field of international Chinese language teaching, thus making greater contributions to reinforcing language exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries, promoting high-quality development of international Chinese language teaching as well as mutual learning and exchanges among diverse civilisations around the world. 

Dr. Jing Hongyang stated that international Chinese language education conforms to the needs of development in the new era. He said, through Chinese language, we can manifest our morals, express our feelings, make friends with each other and promote inter-civilisation exchanges and mutual learning. The conference will further enhance new development in the field of international Chinese language teaching for universities in Tianjin. Mr. Sun Hujun indicated that international Chinese language education is a public language product that China provides to the world as well as a crucial platform for China to integrate into the world and for the world to understand China. The conference has vividly shown that Tianjin proactively integrates itself into the international communication landscape and constructs an all-dimensional and diversified international communication system. Dr. Luan Jianzhang said that we should implement President Xi Jinping’s speech spirit in a practical way, carry out variousforms of people-to-people exchanges in a deep-going way, and be devoted to advancing high-quality development of international Chinese language teaching in the new era, give play to non-governmental power to promote international education communications from multi-dimensional perspectives of new needs, new concepts and new paths.

Ambassador Pehin Dato Rahmani, Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun and Ambassador Raja Nushirwan expressed their greetings to the successful opening of the conference through video messages respectively. They indicated that this year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Over the past three decades, ASEAN Member States (AMS) and China jointly built the most comprehensive and substantial partnership, bringing tangible benefits to peoples of both sides. In the future, they will continue to promote friendly cooperation between ASEAN and China by supporting Chinese language learning and communication, teaching research, talent cultivation, etc.

Mr. Chen Dehai pointed out that language is an important carrier for cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations, as w ell as an important bridge to promote closer people-to-people ties among countries. ASEAN and China are connected by mountains and rivers, amity among cultures and converging interests. ASEAN is one of the major regions to promote international Chinese language education. It is hoped that the conference will further enhance the ability of Chinese universities and educational institutions to meet the demands of people around the world for Chinese language learning and teaching research, and better promote the vigorous development of international Chinese language education around the world. ACC will continue to play the positive role over the past 10 years since its establishment, work hand in hand with ISCLT and related educational institutions of AMS to fully implement the significant consensus reached by leaders of the two sides, strengthen language and cultural exchanges and collaboration, promote people-to-people exchanges and make unremitting efforts to deepen the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Dr. Ma Jianfei extended warm welcome and sincere gratitude towards guests and friends who care about international Chinese language education. He indicated that CLEC will continue to support the work of ISCLT, make efforts to lay a solid foundation for development, expand cooperation areas, strengthen connotation construction, and contribute wisdom and strength to the promotion of language and cultural exchanges and people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign countries.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Chen Dehai and Mr. Luan Jianzhang signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on behalf of the two sides. ISCLT also held the launching ceremony of its branches and the online signing ceremony of “International Chinese Language Education Column”.

Prof. Zhang Boli, the recipient of the national honorary title of People’s Hero, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Honorary President of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, delivered a video keynote speech. Over 1,400 people, including members of the Council of ISCLT, and experts and scholars in the field of international Chinese language education all over the world, attended the conference online. The conference was broadcast online at home and overseas, attracting 21.4 thousand people at its peak.

During the conference, Mr. Chen Dehai also attended the foundation ceremony of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei International Chinese Education Exchanges Center of TNU, and met with Dr. Zhang Ling and Dr. Zhong Yinghua.