On the afternoon of October 23^rd, Dr. Abdulaziz, president of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Chief Expert of UAE Cultural Heritage, along with his delegation, visited Zhejiang Gongshang University. Vice President Mao Qiuhong met with the guests. Relevant representatives and staff from the International Office and the School of Oriental Languages and Philosophy attended the meeting.

Mao Qiuhong expressed her welcome to President Abdulaziz and his delegation and, on behalf of the university, thanked Abdulaziz for his consistent support for the talent cultivation in the Arabic Department of ZJSU and for cooperation and exchanges with the UAE. She stated that the two sides have a solid foundation for cooperation. By leveraging the "ZJSU China Cultural Center in the UAE," they could explore training courses and programs such as language, culture, and Business Chinese, using language training as a bond to connect the Chinese and UAE people. Meanwhile, she expressed the hope to join hands with the Sharjah Institute to strengthen the building of multilateral cooperation platforms, create new forms of civilizational dialogue, jointly explore the connotation of Chinese and UAE cultural heritage, and promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning. 

    

President Abdulaziz expressed his gratitude for the thoughtful reception and shared the work and achievements of the Sharjah Institute in cultural heritage protection in recent years. He stated that the Sharjah side highly values the partnership with ZJSU and spoke highly of the past cooperation outcomes. He hopes to broaden the areas of cooperation on the existing basis, deepen practical cooperation in cultural heritage, professional talent exchange and cultivation, and co-hosting exhibitions, etc., thus making new and greater contributions to promoting China-UAE cultural exchanges and civilizational mutual learning.

In October 2017, ZJSU and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage co-established the "ZJSU China Cultural Center in the UAE," aiming to promote Chinese language and culture in the UAE and actively explore talent cultivation, commercial services, academic research, cultural dissemination, and exchanges for both sides. After its establishment, the Center holds the "Sharjah Chinese Cultural Week" events annually and regularly organizes Chinese language and culture study programs. The School of Oriental Languages and Philosophy dispatches faculty to Sharjah to teach students in the "Basic Chinese Study Program." Since 2017, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage has invited ZJSU students to participate in events like the Sharjah International Heritage Days and the Sharjah International Narrator Forum, promoting cultural interaction among Chinese and UAE youth. Since 2018, the Arabic Department of ZJSU has partnered with the monthly magazine of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage Marawed, regularly contributing articles introducing themes such as Chinese dietary culture, ethnic minorities, and classic folk tales, which have been widely praised.