Congo Town, Liberia – Through its embassy close to Monrovia, the government of the People’s Republic of China hosted a pre-departure ceremony for the scholarship recipients for 2023 as well as a short-term training course for journalists in Liberia.
The elaborate ceremony, which was held on Friday, July 28, 2023, at its Embassy in Congo Town, was attended by a number of government representatives, scholarship recipients from the Chinese Government, members of the Liberian Association of Chinese Trained Scholars, representatives from the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia, as well as embassy staff and selected journalists.
Fan Erwei, Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, made a statement at the occasion and congratulated all 22 recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarship for this year as well as the 25 participants in the media short-term training program.
He emphasized, “We know that you all come from various departments and backgrounds and have undergone a routine screening process to eventually be able to earn this amazing opportunity to go study in China.”
The Chinese Government Scholarship and other training programs, according to Erwei, are a tangible illustration of the friendship between China and Liberia as well as a tangible demonstration of China’s earnest support for the country’s economic and social growth.
He claims that when it comes to China’s relations with Africa, President Xi Jiping set forth the tenets of sincerity, concrete results, amity, good faith, promoting the greater good, and sharing interest in 2013.
According to the Chinese Charge d’Affaires, they have been adhering to this idea for many years, and as a result, China-Liberia ties have achieved significant progress under the joint direction and dedication of Chinese and Liberian officials.
Erwei stated that China would keep assisting the exchange of human resources between our two nations in a variety of ways. He expressed the hope that the students will take full advantage of the chance to study in China and acquire the language by immersing themselves in the country’s culture and history.
Erwei asserted that the Chinese government has recently announced and given the Liberian government 200 short- and long-term training possibilities, some of which include master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as roughly 50 full scholarships per year.
”The entire development of Liberia’s human capacity has been aided by our embassy’s annual awarding of the Ambassador Scholarship to more than 100 deserving students from the University of Liberia, Tubman University, and Cuttington University.”
He was particularly glad to learn that Liberian students who received scholarships from the Chinese government and training under that government’s training program are now playing significant and vital roles in their home countries.
In a separate speech, Latim Dathong, the deputy education minister for administration, reminded the audience that Liberia’s greatest treasure is not its natural resources like oil, diamonds, or gold, but rather its people. He claimed that in order to meet the issues the country was facing, people with skill, knowledge, and experience were needed to assist transform the country.
Dathong took the chance to express their gratitude to their friends and collaborators, particularly the Chinese government, for their assistance in the creation of what they consider to be the best and biggest resource. The recipients were further urged by him to serve as excellent representatives for their families and, most importantly, for Liberia.
As a generation, we have a duty to this nation to lead a Liberia that is very different from the one we were given. That is the dilemma facing our generation today, Dathong addressed the audience.
The beneficiaries’ selection for the scholarship, according to Trokon A. Kpui, Deputy Minister of State without Portfolio, is a testament to their unshakable devotion to academic achievement and potential for making a substantial contribution to society, not a mistake.
He warned the scholarship recipients to use their brains for Liberia’s improvement and growth, but to do it with compassion and resiliency. He claimed that education has the capacity to cross boundaries, unite civilizations, and build a more integrated future for humanity.
”Therefore, as you begin your scholastic journey in China, I urge you to seize the chance for personal development and cultural exchange, interact with your peers, and immerse yourself in the country’s rich history and traditions while establishing lifelong friendships.”
Kpui also makes a strong appeal to students to keep in mind that the Chinese Government scholarship carries a lot of responsibility and that, as future leaders, they have the ability to change the entire world.
”Let this scholarship serve as a reminder of the faith that has been placed in you to improve not only your neighborhood but also Liberia and the entire globe.”
