On the afternoon of 13 June 2022, the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Series of Capacity Building Training for Principals and Native Mandarin Teachers in Indonesia was successfully held. Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun, Ambassador of Indonesia to China, Dr. Ma Jianfei, Director-General of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of the Ministry of Education of China, Dr. Iwan Syahrir, Director-General of Teachers and Educational Personnel of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MoECRT) of Indonesia, Mr. Andi Seto Gadhista Asapa, Regent of Sinjai Regency of Indonesia, and Dr. Siswantoyo M. Kes., Vice Rector of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta of Indonesia, attended and addressed the opening ceremony online. 

Mr. Djauhari Oratmangun stated that bilateral exchanges between Indonesia and China are of a profound historical significance. It is conductive to regional and global prosperity to strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. In recent years, the demand for learning Chinese language in Indonesia has been expanding. The Indonesian Embassy in China will fully support the establishment of the first regional center of CLEC in Indonesia and explore innovative programmes, such as Chinese Language and Innovation Centre, which will further deepen mutual understanding of the two peoples and boost more opportunities for future cooperation.

Mr. Chen Dehai pointed out that the integration of China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative and Indonesia’s “Global Maritime Fulcrum” Strategy has greatly promoted people-to-people exchanges between Indonesia and China. ACC is ready to join hands with Indonesian MoECRT, the Embassy of Indonesia in China and CLEC to jointly promote Indonesia-China education collaboration, increase mutual understanding, foster friendship between the two peoples and enhance bilateral relations. 

Dr. Ma Jianfei hoped that through these series of training participants will improve their Mandarin level, broaden horizons and enhance capabilities, which will help cultivate more talents mastering language skills in the future. Moreover, educators could make language and cultural exchanges a bridge of friendship between the two peoples, as well as a driving force for social progress, and make due contribution to building an open and inclusive world. 

This training is co-hosted by ACC, the Indonesian Embassy in China and CLEC. Nearly 700 principals and native Mandarin teachers in Indonesia will participate in this 5-day training, which covers Mandarin teaching, introduction to Chinese education system, education experience sharing, and Chinese traditional cultural experience.