Jia Wenjian, president of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and deputy secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, led a delegation to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from Nov 25 to 29.

The trip included engagements with leading universities and organizations, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and the Sun Yat-sen University Institute of Advanced Studies Hong Kong.

The delegation also paid visits to the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR, the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo) and Phoenix TV, shared cooperation plans with the Fok Ying-tung Education Foundation (FYTEF) and the K C Wong Education Foundation (KCWEF), and held discussions with BFSU alumni working in Hong Kong.

Jia Wenjian (L) and Chan Kam-leung, pro-vice-chancellor of CUHK, take a commemorative photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

At CUHK on Nov 25, Jia introduced BFSU’s global strategy and talent development for international organizations and expressed an eagerness to deepen academic exchanges and conduct joint research with the university.

The BFSU delegation and HKUST representatives engage in discussions. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

In the face of rapid advances in artificial intelligence, language education must continually innovate, said Jia during the meeting with HKUST officials on Nov 26. He underscored the necessity to share global resources for universities on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong.

Representatives from BFSU and HKUST also discussed cooperation agreements, faculty exchanges, joint talent cultivation and master's programs for international students.

Delegation members take a photo with Tang Fei (C), a member of LegCo’s election committee and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Delegation members learned about LegCo's history, operational framework, composition, rules of procedure and legislative approval process on Nov 26. They also talked with LegCo representatives about potential collaboration and BFSU students’ internships in Hong Kong.

Jia Wenjian (L) and Teng Jin-guang, president of PolyU, hold a scroll with the Chinese character fu (good fortune). [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

On Nov 26, delegation members and PolyU officials discussed international organization-related events, global governance development and reform, generative AI’s applications in foreign language education, digital transformation of global education, large language model development, as well as AI-empowered foreign language teaching and model innovation. They reached a consensus on signing exchange and cooperation agreements and carrying out joint service projects.

Delegation members visit the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Jia thanked the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong on Nov 27 for its long-standing support for BFSU. He spoke about the university's achievements in implementing its global strategy and continuously enhancing its international influence.

Jia emphasized the unique role of Hong Kong as a bridgehead for opening China's higher education to the world, saying BFSU is committed to contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative, exploring new areas for higher education cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and setting a benchmark for global educational exchanges and collaboration.

Delegation members pose for a photo with HKBU representatives. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Targeting the pressing needs of major national strategies and the frontiers of disciplinary development, BFSU is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary integration, building academic teams that span multiple languages, disciplines and institutions and establishing the Chinese Consortium for Country and Area Studies and a multilingual journal cluster to provide solutions for global governance, said Jia at HKBU on Nov 27. He said he hopes the two universities will expand student exchange programs and foster deeper collaboration in international communication, international organization databases and joint publications.

Delegation members pay a visit to Phoenix TV. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Delegation members got familiar with Phoenix TV on Nov 27 and said they hope the channel will help BFSU students enhance their professional skills and practical experience by providing internship opportunities.

Delegation members take a photo with representatives from the Sun Yat-sen University Institute of Advanced Studies Hong Kong. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Jia introduced BFSU's current development at the Sun Yat-sen University Institute of Advanced Studies Hong Kong on Nov 28, emphasizing the university's active integration into the mission of building a leading country in education. Jia hopes to work with the institute in the high-quality development of the BRI and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, making greater contributions to helping China better engage with the world and helping the world better understand China.

The BFSU delegation and KCWEF representatives have a meeting. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

During talks with representatives from the KCWEF on Nov 28, delegation members expressed hopes for in-depth communication regarding the establishment of scholarships and teaching funds, aiming to cultivate high-level international talents and promote exchanges and cooperation between BFSU and universities in Hong Kong.

The BFSU delegation visits the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Jia gave a comprehensive introduction to officials at the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong about BFSU's development progress, educational characteristics and development philosophy on Nov 28. BFSU will carry forward the spirit of patriotism, tell China's story well and amplify China's voice on the global stage, he said. The university is striving to foster a global landscape of diversity, co-existence, mutual trust and cooperation, while contributing to enhancing educational and cultural exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, he added.

Delegation members take a photo with Li Zhuolin (second left), president of XHES & Company. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

The delegation met with Li Zhuolin, president of XHES & Company, and talked about expanding job opportunities, employment and talent introduction in Hong Kong, as well as internship programs for BFSU students, on Nov 29.

Delegation members and representatives from the FYTEF, the academic, business and legal sectors pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

During the trip to the FYTEF on Nov 29, the delegation and the foundation exchanged views and reached a consensus on jointly establishing an AI alliance with HKUST and Nanyang Technological University. They also discussed building global large language models in law, creating a global expert network, developing international platforms, reshaping international values and providing global public products and volunteer services related to language and culture.

Representatives from the academic, business and legal sectors, along with partners, participated in the talks.