On February 16, Chinese Ambassador to Canada, H. E. Cong Peiwu met with Prof. Bill Flanagan, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta (U of A) in Edmonton. Ms. Zhao Liying, Consul General of China in Calgary, Dr. Verna Yiu, Provost and Vice-President, Ms. Melissa Padfield, Deputy Provost, and Dr. Cen Huang, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President of the U of A participated the meeting.

Ambassador Cong thanked the U of A and President Flanagan for the work they have done for the Chinese students' study, life, wellness and safety in the U of A, and expressed his appreciation for the U of A’s commitment to promoting educational exchanges and cooperation between China and Canada. Ambassador Cong emphasized that educational cooperation was an important part of China-Canada relations, and played an important role in promoting people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding between the two sides. He hoped that the U of A would further strengthen its educational cooperation with China, and continue to provide a safe and convenient environment for Chinese students to study and live.

President Flanagan introduced the progress made by the U of A in educational cooperation with China. He said that the U of A welcomed more Chinese students to study here, and was willing to encourage the students of U of A to go to China for exchanges and study, so as to deepen the mutual cooperation on the education and people-to-people exchanges.