Chinanews.com.cn, January 21,2010: According to Chinese foreign ministry website, the opening ceremony for Confucius Institute of University of Cape Town took place at Matthews Art Gallery on January 19. Over 100 people including the General Consul stationed in Cape Town Hao guangfeng and his wife , the First Secretary of Education Department of Chinese embassy in South Africa Wei Yanggen, as well as the Vice Consul Li Yan.

After delivering warm congratulations to the opening of Confucius Institute of University of Cape Town, Mr. Hao maintained that the establishment of Confucius Institute is another significant accomplishment in the friendly exchange and practical cooperation respecting the culture and education of the two countries. He believed that, the efforts of University of Cape Town and Sun Yat-sen University exerted in founding the Confucius institute will definitely bridge the culture between the two countries, promoting mutual understanding and friendship. Mr. Hao also pointed out that, as a great thinker and educator in Chinese history, Confucius’s philosophy constitutes the essence of Chinese culture. The ideas of “education for all” and “harmony as the key” advocated by Confucius coincide with University of Cape Town‘s“education for all regardless of gender and race” and “co-existence of multivariate culture”. He believed that the Confucius Institute of University of Cape Town will provide a beneficial platform for the people of South Africa to study Chinese and get to know Chinese culture.

Bill, President of University of Cape Town, expressed her gratitude to NOCFL for settling the Confucius Institute at University of Cape Town. She believed that the launching of Confucius Institute will inevitably advance the university’s internationalization and enhance the students’ competence. China and South Africa, both great developing countries, are playing increasingly roles in the world community.. The settlement of Confucius Institute will help promote mutual understanding and communication between the two countries.

Xu Ningsheng, vice President of Sun Yat-sen University stated that, University of Cape Town is a prestigious institute with great influence not only in Africa but also around the world. The establishment of Confucius Institute will lay a good foundation for the following academic exchanges and cooperation between the two universities. And Sun Yat-sen University will work closely with University of Cape Town in running the Confucius Institute, making more contribution to enhance the friendship between China and South Africa.

At the opening ceremony, the atmosphere reached the culminating point as Art Troup as well as Taiji Society of University of Cape Town presented wonderful Zulu dance and Chinese Tai Chi Chuan. The Confucius Institute of University of Cape Town, jointly established by Sun Yat-sen University and University of Cape Town, becomes the third Confucius Institute in South Africa following Stellenbosch University and Rhodes University.