"Through learning Chinese, I have learned about long-standing Chinese culture, and also the endless philosophical wisdom of the Chinese nation embodied in Chinese characters," said Almehmadi Ahmed, a young Saudi Arabian man who took the online workshop for Chinese learning of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU).

Ahmed is one of the 95 Saudi Arabian students that participated in the workshop via the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship Program, which was launched by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. He spent four months online together with XJTU teachers to explore the Chinese language.

A Saudi Arabian student in Chinese class with a teacher of Xi'an Jiaotong University

This program, which catered to Saudi Arabian students, has closely tied the youth from the two countries and enhanced their friendship.

The teachers from XJTU have innovative teaching methods and are excellent young professionals. Students have also shown great interest in the cultural heritage of Xi'an, where the university is based, as the capital of thirteen imperial dynasties in China's history.

Students' homework during the program

The university is dedicated to supporting foreigner learners in their Chinese language education. So far, more than 500 students have taken online Chinese lessons with XJTU.