SYDNEY — China and Vanuatu signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Port Vila on Sept 10 to jointly promote the Chinese language education in the Pacific island country.

According to the MOU, the two countries' education ministries will cooperate on Chinese language education in primary and secondary schools in Vanuatu. Based on consensus through consultations, China could select and send experts to Vanuatu to coordinate and assist in developing policy documents and frameworks such as the curriculum, syllabus and testing schemes for the joint program, help Vanuatu build a pool of Chinese language teachers, and develop Chinese language textbooks and learning materials.

Both sides will also jointly monitor and evaluate the teaching performance of the program, encourage educational and academic institutions from both countries to conduct theoretical and applied research, and hold academic conferences on topics related to the program.

Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Zhou Haicheng, who signed the MOU on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of Education with Vanuatu's Minister of Education and Training Samson Samsen, said the Chinese language teaching program is a fruit of the China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership, and a new breakthrough and opportunity for the bilateral educational cooperation.

Zhou said the Chinese side will strengthen cooperation with Vanuatu's Ministry of Education and Training, schools and institutions to implement the MOU, and help the country train a large number of people who can speak Chinese and understand China.

"The signing of this MOU will further solidify popular support for the development of China-Vanuatu relations and create tremendous opportunities for the younger generations of Vanuatu. I wish more Vanuatu youths will become Chinese enthusiasts and good-will ambassadors for China-Vanuatu friendship and relations," he said.

Zhou added that the Chinese side will continue to support Chinese language teaching in Vanuatu, and promote the China-Vanuatu educational cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high.

Samsen acknowledged the continuous support from the Chinese side, and described the MOU as another milestone for the bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

He said the Chinese language is globally used for business exchanges, therefore, such partnership agreement in the education sector will facilitate a better development of the young people of Vanuatu, and will strengthen mutual exchange between the two countries.