Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26 February 2021, China celebrates the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the 1st month according to the Chinese lunar calendar and is considered the end of the Spring Festival (or Chinese New Year). According to custom, for the celebration, the Chinese light up colorful street lamps and eat yuanxiao - large balls of glutinous rice with different fillings, which symbolize unity, solidarity and fullness of life.

On this day, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Uzbekistan, with the support of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, the Ministry of Public Education and the Ministry of Preschool Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, organized an online event dedicated to traditional Chinese holidays. 

The event brought together almost all educational institutions that teach Chinese in Uzbekistan: the Military-Technical Institute of the National Guard of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, the Uzbek State University of World Languages, the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, School No. 59 in Tashkent, Academic Lyceum of Tashkent State Pedagogical University, Academic Lyceum of Tashkent State Pedagogical University, Chinese National Cultural Center in Tashkent, as well as Confucius Institute at Tashkent State Pedagogical University and Confucius Institute at SamGIIA. First Deputy Minister of Preschool Education Kakhramon Olimov, Rector of Tashkent State University of Education Gulchekhra Rikhsieva, Rector of UzSUWL Ulugbek Azizov, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Public Education in Tashkent Sukhrobbek Kirgizbayev, Director of School No. 59 Fakhriddin Shamsiev, as well as teachers, teachers, students, pupils and cadets of these institutions took part in the event, the total number of participants was over 120 people.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Uzbekistan Jiang Yan noted in her welcoming speech that as the Chinese language is popularized in Uzbekistan, the hearts of the two peoples are constantly drawing closer. This is not only due to the solid foundation of traditional friendship between the two peoples and the high level of bilateral relations, but also largely depends on the care and support of the Uzbek competent authorities and the tireless efforts of teachers and students.

Jiang Yan stressed that in 2020, in the face of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, China and Uzbekistan joined together and helped each other overcome difficulties, and together supported the dynamics of stable and healthy development of bilateral relations. In the coming new year, the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan will continue to support the teaching of the Chinese language in Uzbekistan by providing all possible assistance to relevant educational institutions in the form of equipment and teaching aids, and will also provide 15-20 outstanding applicants in Uzbekistan with government grants to study in China through an open recruitment. She expressed the hope that the above steps will contribute to raising the level of teaching the Chinese language in Uzbekistan and fostering more and more "envoys" of friendship between the two countries, and ultimately will serve to bring the Sino-Uzbek comprehensive strategic partnership to a qualitatively new level.

Kakhramon Olimov congratulated the Chinese people on the Chinese New Year and Lantern Festival and noted the close and dynamic cooperation between the Ministry of Preschool Education and the competent departments of China, including the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan. The parties held productive negotiations, during which they discussed issues of attracting Chinese investments to organize the production of toys, play equipment and pedagogical materials on the territory of Uzbekistan, as well as to expand the networks of non-state preschool educational organizations on the basis of public-private partnerships and the organization of refresher courses for specialists systems of preschool education. K. Olimov also thanked the Embassy for donating toys as a tribute to children from poor families.

Gulchekhra Rikhsiyeva noted that the coronavirus pandemic did not interfere with the study of Chinese traditions, culture, history and the strengthening of friendly ties between Uzbekistan and China. In such a difficult year, the University continues to cooperate with Chinese universities. Online lectures, scientific seminars, master classes, exchange of experience between teachers and so on are held between Tashkent State University of Higher Education and its Chinese partners, issues of inter-university cooperation are discussed, including the launch of a double degree program with Chinese universities.

Ulugbek Azizov noted that interest in studying the Chinese language at UzSWLL is growing from year to year and is currently about 650 people. The university has been studying Chinese as the main and second foreign language since 2010. During this time, outstanding results have been achieved, as an example we can name the student Umar Kholikov, who won the highest place in the competition "The Bridge of the Chinese Language" in 2020. UzSUWL will continue the course on strengthening cooperation with the Chinese side in terms of further developing the teaching of the Chinese language and training highly qualified personnel in this area.

Sukhrobbek Kirgizbayev stressed that cooperation between Uzbekistan and China is becoming closer every year and is filled with new practical content, and one of the main priority areas of cooperation is education. China has provided a large number of government grants for training in Chinese universities, as well as grants totaling more than US$30 million for the purchase of educational equipment.

Fakhriddin Shamsiev recalled the long history of teaching Chinese at school No. 59 in Tashkent, which is the founder of this business in Uzbekistan - since 1957, the school has been teaching Chinese to all students and contributes to the development of friendship between the peoples of the two countries. He thanked the Embassy for the assistance provided to advance the educational process of the school and expressed readiness to continue training personnel to ensure the strengthening of bilateral relations.

After the speeches of the honored guests, the multicolored part began: students, pupils, cadets showed all the participants their level of knowledge of the Chinese language and Chinese culture. The children expressed congratulations on the coming New Year of the bull and wonderful wishes in Chinese, sang Chinese songs, music and dances, recited Chinese poetry, and SamGIIYA students demonstrated the martial art "Taijiquan" on Confucius Square in Samarkand. They clearly showed their great interest and love for Chinese culture, traditions and excellent success in learning this difficult language, which gave full confidence about their active participation in the future development of cooperation between China and Uzbekistan.