Xiamen University M’sia another milestone in bilateral ties
SEPANG: The establishment of Xiamen University Malaysia campus, China’s first university set up abroad, is another milestone in strengthening education cooperation between China and Malaysia, said Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang.
He said the still underconstruction Xiamen University Malaysia campus, with an estimated cost of RM1.3 billion, was an iconic project and symbol for education cooperation between the two countries.
Citing it as an example of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative in Malaysia, Huang said the Chinese government was strongly supporting the project.
“We spare no effort to help the Malaysia campus to be a world class institution,” he told reporters after presenting scholarships to 10 outstanding Malaysian students at the university yesterday.
Xiamen University Malaysia campus was mooted during a meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in 2012.
A pioneer group of 187 students started their studies at the Xiamen University Malaysia campus in Sepang on Feb 23 last year.
Xiamen University, listed as among the top 20 academic institutions in China, was founded by Malaysian rubber magnate Tan Kah Kee in 1921.
On the 2016 Chinese Ambassador Scholarship Award, Huang said the scholarship, established by China’s Embassy in Malaysia, was the first scholarship scheme of its kind offered by the embassy to the students of Malaysia.
Each outstanding student will receive RM12,000 scholarship. The embassy has set aside an annual budget of RM120,000 for the programme.
“We will continue to provide scholarships to students in future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Huang said Malaysia and China ties were at its best and Malaysia was a “good neighbour, good friend and good partner” to China.
“2017 will be the year of deepening pragmatic cooperation between China and Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Xiamen University Malaysia president Prof Wang Ruifang said the number of students had risen from 187 students to about 1,500 currently including 400 students from China.
While the construction for the campus’ first phase was nearing completion, the construction of phase two would kick- off soon and enable the campus to cater for about 7,500 students once completed.
Meanwhile, Liew Yi Yang, 23, one of the scholarship recipients who pursued Bachelor of Management in International Business was planning to own a business in the logistics industry with trading partner from China.
“I visited Xiamen University main campus about three years ago to check up the university.
“Then, when the university announced it will open its campus here, I decided to enrol here,” said the Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya lad. — Bernama