Research Center on German-speaking Countries Founded at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

On April 20^th the Research Center on German-speaking Countries was established at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS) against the backdrop of growing cooperation between Guangdong Province and German-speaking countries. For example, the Sino-German Metal Eco City has taken root in Jieyang and the Sino-German Industrial Service Zone in Foshan. At the same time, Guangdong businesses are also expanding their investment in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc,. Midea's acquisition of KUKA is an excellent case in point. Therefore, the establishment of the Research Center on German-speaking Countries is highly timely.

The inauguration ceremony

The International Symposium on German-speaking Countries was held alongside the inauguration ceremony of the Research Center on German-speaking Countries. The symposium was hosted by School of Western Languages and Cultures and co-organized by Collaborative Innovation Center for Language Research and Science, Liang Zongdai Academic Research Center, Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, Swiss Chinese Case Study Centerof University of Zuerich and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

On the opening ceremony of the international symposium, Prof. He Chuantian, Vice President of GDUFS, delivered a welcoming address. Present at the conference were representatives from German-speaking countries including Mr. René Baenziger, Vice General Consul of the General Consulate of Switzerland in Guangzhou, Dr. Yingchun Gong-Fleischer from General Consulate of Germany in Guangzhou and Prof. Xinhua Wittmann from Swiss Chinese Case Study Center University of Zuerich. The symposium was also well-attended by experts and scholars from over a dozen of universities including Shanghai International Studies University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Wuhan University, University of International Business and Economics, Southwest University, Southwest Jiaotong University, Beihang University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Soochow University, Ningbo University, etc.

Vice President He expressed warm welcome to all the attendees of the symposium and congratulations on the founding of the Research Center on German-speaking Countries. He emphasized the great influence of German-speaking countries on the history of mankind and the history of thought. As was stressed by Vice President He, GDUFS fully supports the development of the Research Center and is willing work with scholars from all universities in building a cross-disciplinary platform where innovative approach of research will be adopted and disciplines integrate and complement each other.

Prof. Liu Qisheng, Director of the Research Center, said that Guangdong Province enjoys strong ties with Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which makes it necessary for both sides to enhance understandings of each other in order to conduct more in-depth joint research and to contribute more to the Belt and Road Initiative.

Group photo