Foreign sinologists explore China's past, present and future

Opening ceremony of 2017 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists [Photo: from China plus]

This year's Visiting Program for Young Sinologists was launched with an opening ceremony at the National Library of China on September 11, 2017 in Beijing.

The study program will run until September 30. It's being put on by the Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Twenty-seven sinologists are participating in the program. They're going to be doing research in various academic fields, including Chinese literature, history, philosophy, art, linguistics, politics, sociology, international relations and education. They hail from 26 different countries, including the United States, Australia, Britain, Chile, Albania and Egypt, among others.

"Beijing is the first ideal stop to explore for someone who is enthusiastic about China. Beijing, as the capital of this country, brings people with firsthand experience of the extensive and profound traditional Chinese culture and also reflects the modern and rapidly changing China," said Zhu Qi, an official from the Ministry of Culture at the opening ceremony.

He also says the study program should help improve the academic prowess of the sinologists by providing them with an opportunity to experience Chinese culture, customs and society.

The group of 27 are scheduled to attend lectures in Beijing for three days. They're also due to meet with specialists from prestigious research and educational institutes, including the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese National Academy of Arts and Beijing Language and Culture University.

The Chinese Ministry of Culture is planning to launch a new scholarship to expand the program to more foreign countries.