On December 20, 2013, the Confucius Institute at the Osh State University in Kyrgyzstan held its first new year gala at the Osh National Drama Theater. More than 700 people attended the gala, including Chinese Consul General to Osh Wu Yingqin, Rector of the Osh State University Kanybek Isakov, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute Guo Weidong, staff and students of the Institute, parents of the students, and representatives of China-funded enterprises overseas Chinese in Kyrgyzstan.

Consul General Wu Yingqin delivers a speech

Consul General Wu said in his speech that this year holds special significance for the China-Kyrgyzstan relations. With President Xi Jinping’s successful visit to Kyrgyzstan, the bilateral relations have been upgraded to strategic partnership, with closer cooperation in all fields yielding more achievements and bringing tangible benefits to both peoples. Addressing the students of the Institute, he said that as the first students to graduate from the Confucius Institute at the Osh State University, they have witnessed and experienced the sound and rapid development of the China-Kyrgyzstan relations. He hoped that they would cherish the precious time and favorable learning conditions, master the Chinese language, and become messengers for the China-Kyrgyzstan friendship. He also wished the students academic success in the forthcoming Chinese year of the horse.

Rector Isakov delivers a speech

In his speech, Rector Isakov spoke highly of China’s strong support in guaranteeing a quality teaching team, providing advanced facilities and in other aspects for the Confucius Institute at the Osh State University. He said that the establishment of the Confucius Institute at the Osh State University has greatly improved the influence of the university, and hoped that the students would study assiduously and make contributions to the Kyrgyzstan-China friendship.

100 students recite the “Thousand Character Classic”

The gala was held in a cordial and warm atmosphere, during which students dressed in costumes of the Han and Tang dynasties staged songs and dances which won rounds of applause and cheers from the audience. Performances such as 100 students reciting the ancient Chinese verse “Thousand Character Classic”, the group dance “Paper-Cutting Girls” and the show of Chinese Kungfu were received with exceptional warmth and brought climaxes one after another. Audience marveled at how the students managed to learn the Chinese language so well within a short period of three months, and wished that the Confucius Institute would turn out more excellent graduates with Chinese proficiency.

Messengers of China-Kyrgyzstan friendship