Recently, the 2025 World Chinese Language Conference convened in Beijing. Sixty-one young sinologists from 51 countries, invited to attend, wrote to President Xi Jinping sharing their experiences and insights from studying China, expressing their desire to deepen their research into Chinese scholarship and serve as bridges for civilisational dialogue.
President Xi Jinping responded with a cordial letter to the young sinologists, commending their active role in promoting Sinology research and mutual learning among civilisations. He encouraged them to continue their journey with Sinology and alongside China, to enhance their research and interpretative capabilities, to present a true, multi-dimensional and comprehensive picture of China to the world, to serve as effective ambassadors bridging Chinese and foreign civilisations, and to contribute their wisdom and strength to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Dr Abu (Abubaker Elsiddig Ahmed Elmustafa Elsheikh Hayaty), a Sudanese doctoral candidate at the School, was invited to address the conference as one of the young Sinologists, sharing his academic insights and Chinese stories.
Currently pursuing a degree in Journalism and Communication with a specialisation in international communication, Abu focuses on the dissemination of Chinese culture across Africa. Since arriving in China in 2016, he has tirelessly explored diverse regional cultures – from Sanmen County in Taizhou to Meitan in Guizhou – gaining profound insights into Chinese society through field research and teaching volunteer programmes, thereby laying a solid foundation for his academic work.
Since 2023, Abu has been a regular contributor to major academic exchange platforms across China's media landscape. He engages in in-depth discussions on global communication, public diplomacy, artificial intelligence and related topics, thereby contributing to the resonance of discourse and mutual learning between Chinese and African civilisations.
Upon receiving President Xi Jinping's reply letter, Abu was profoundly inspired. He remarked: "As a doctoral candidate dedicated to Sinology research, reading President Xi Jinping's letter has filled me with both honour and a profound sense of mission. President Xi's assertion that 'Sinology originates from China yet belongs to the world' profoundly reveals its contemporary value and global significance. Sinology is not only the crystallisation of Chinese civilisation's wisdom but also a bridge connecting East and West, fostering mutual understanding. We should embrace a global perspective, using scholarship as a medium to interpret the Chinese way and integrate ancient and modern wisdom within the dialogue of diverse civilisations. Guided by the principle of 'harmony without uniformity', we should contribute Eastern wisdom and inject spiritual strength into building a community with a shared future for mankind. President Xi’s reply letter serves as both encouragement and motivation, inspiring us to become steadfast practitioners and disseminators of Chinese civilisation with academic resolve and cultural confidence, thus living up to the expectations of our era."
Moving forward, the School will continue to serve the strategic objectives of China's education-driven national opening-up policy. We shall coordinate efforts in both "bringing in" and "going out," vigorously encouraging Chinese and international students to "tell China's stories well, disseminate China's experiences, and amplify China's voice." In doing so, we will contribute media wisdom and strength to advancing mutual learning among civilisations and fostering people-to-people bonds.