H.E.Jonathan Austin, New Zealand's ambassador to China, visited Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on Dec 12.

Jonathan Austin, New Zealand's ambassador to China, visits BFSU. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Li Hai, secretary of the CPC BFSU Committee, welcomed the ambassador and expressed gratitude for the New Zealand Embassy's long-standing support in developing South Pacific language programs and compiling Maori language teaching materials at BFSU.

Li highlighted the exchange and cooperation between BFSU and New Zealand academic institutions, stating that BFSU's willingness to expand collaboration with New Zealand universities, promote diversification in cooperation fields, and explore innovative forms of cooperation, such as South Pacific cultural salons.

Li Hai welcomes the ambassador's visit. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

H.E.Jonathan Austin praised BFSU's achievements in developing South Pacific languages, particularly Maori, and thanked BFSU for teaching and preserving these languages and cultures.

He also noted the broad prospects for educational cooperation between New Zealand and China and expressed the New Zealand Embassy's willingness to strengthen collaboration with BFSU in areas such as faculty and student exchanges, joint research, and development of Maori and other South Pacific languages.

H.E.Jonathan Austin praises BFSU's achievements in developing South Pacific languages. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Both parties also engaged in an in-depth discussion on the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence brings to language teaching, and the training of the first group of New Zealand Maori students under BFSU's "Chinese-English-Maori Trilingual Advanced Translation Talent Training Program".