ULAN BATOR, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Learning and Testing Center for the HSK, a Chinese language proficiency test, was officially inaugurated in the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator, on Monday.
The opening ceremony was attended by Jing Wei, deputy director of the China-Foreign Language Exchange and Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Education of China, Li Zhi, counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia, Tumur-Ochir Nyam-Ochir, head of the General Authority for Education of Mongolia, as well as other officials from China and Mongolia and representatives from various Mongolian schools.
The Chinese Learning and Testing Center is a comprehensive international education cooperation project brand for Chinese teaching, learning, examination, study in China, internship and employment based on the Chinese Proficiency Test HSK, Jing said, adding that since 2020, 81 Chinese Learning and Testing Centers have been built in 40 countries around the world.
Nyam-Ochir said that the General Authority of Education of Mongolia values and promotes foreign language learning among youth, with an increasing number of students opting to learn Chinese.
According to incomplete statistics, 18 public primary and secondary schools in Mongolia have enhanced their Chinese language programs, and over 40 schools are gradually introducing Chinese courses, leading to a growing Chinese teaching staff.
Li noted that the deepening strategic partnership between China and Mongolia has resulted in a rising number of Chinese learners and enthusiasts in Mongolia. Opportunities for studying, tourism, business, economic and trade cooperation, and cultural exchanges in China, as well as employment in Chinese-funded enterprises, have provided significant benefits to many Mongolians.
He added that the center is a crucial addition to the development of Chinese education beyond the Confucius Institute, signifying a new phase in the popularization and advancement of Chinese education in Mongolia.
The center at the Mongolian HSK Examination Institute is the only "Chinese Learning and Testing Center" in Mongolia officially approved by the Language Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Education of China and authorized by Hankao International.
Additionally, the center assists with scholarship applications, summer camps, and research funds, and connects domestic and international institutions to facilitate student enrollment and preparatory services. ■