On December 18, 2018, Chinese Embassy in Canada and Global Affairs Canada co-hosted the reception marking the 45th anniversary of the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) at the embassy. Over 120 people attended the reception, including Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to Canada, Sarah Taylor, Director General of North Asia and Oceania Bureau of Global Affairs Canada, Jacques Fremont, President of the University of Ottawa, Graham Shantz, President of Canada China Business Council, Paul Davidson, President of Universities Canada, Chinese and Canadian alumni from CCSEP, principals of Canadian educational institutions, representatives of teachers and students in Canadian colleges and universities, and overseas Chinese students in Canada.

Ambassador Lu said in his remarks that since Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau initiated CCSEP in 1973, more than 1,000 students and scholars from China and Canada have engaged in study or research in each other’s country. The alumni from CCSEP have made great contributions to China-Canada friendship and bilateral cooperation in such areas as politics, economy and trade, education, culture, and science and technology.

Ambassador Lu hoped that, through joint efforts, China and Canada can do better in carrying out CCSEP and others programs. While encouraging Chinese students to study in Canada, the Chinese side also supported more Canadian students studying in China, learning Chinese, experiencing Chinese culture, and getting to know the development of China, so as to promote China-Canada relationship.

Director General Sarah Taylor reviewed China-Canada cooperation in high-level exchanges, economy and trade, finance, culture, tourism, education and science technology within this year, and expressed her congratulation on the CCSEP’s successful implementation over the past 45 years. She spoke highly of CCSEP, Canada Learning Initiative in China (CLIC) and other programs that have offered many people more opportunities for a brighter future, promoted exchanges between youths, expanded academic cooperation and deepened the communication and understanding between the two peoples.

President Jacques Fremont gave his remarks on behalf of universities and educational institutions. He pointed out that the bounden duty of educational institutions is to spread knowledge and exchange talents. Programs such as CCSEP and CLIC provide scholarship for students’ study abroad and exchanges among scholars, thus improving student exchange and research cooperation between Chinese and Canadian universities. Graham Shantz, President of Canada China Business Council, Luke Henderson, staff member of University of Waterloo, and Professor Han Haoying from Zhejiang University gave their remarks respectively on behalf of the alumni from CCSEP. They thanked both Chinese and Canadian governments for their support on students studying in each other’s country, commited to taking advantage of the broad friend circle in CCSEP and cross-industry development to improve the capacity of bilateral exchanges and contribute to the development of China-Canada relationship.

Ambassador Lu gave more than 20 alumni from CCSEP the 45th anniversary commemorative album–Journey to the East. The attendees watched the documentary Canadian Students in China, enjoyed the splendid art performance presented by students from both China and Canada, and expressed their willingness to promote cultural exchange and bilateral cooperation in multiple fields.