The 2018 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists kicks off in Chongqing, May 10, 2018. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

The 2018 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists kicked off on May 10 in Chongqing with an opening ceremony.

Attendees included Zhu Qi, deputy director of the Bureau for External Cultural Relations, Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Jiang Weining, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Culture Commission; Tang Wen, deputy director of the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government; and 26 Sinologists from 20 countries.

Zhu Qi gave a speech at the ceremony. "During the past five years, the program has been promoting ideological and cultural exchanges between China and other countries. It also constantly sums up useful experience and takes an innovative approach to training to create better conditions for young Sinologists coming to China," he said.

The 2018 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists kicks off in Chongqing, May 10, 2018. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

"I hope you can better understand Chinese culture through the program and share your feelings with your friends after returning to your country, building harmonious relations between China and your countries."

Four Sinologists from Austria, India, Burundi and Italy shared stories from different perspectives. They all learned a lot about Chinese culture during their studies in China, and have developed special feelings about China.

The program was founded by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China in 2014. It has aimed to strengthen cultural exchanges and set up a platform where young Sinologists worldwide can communicate and learn more about Chinese culture and history. In order to meet the growing demand for Sinology in the world today, the program will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangdong this year.

The 2018 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists kicks off in Chongqing, May 10, 2018. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]

This is the first time for Chongqing to host the program, which takes as its theme "Know China in a beautiful place, and understand China's development while visiting Chongqing". Through the program, Chongqing aims to help Sinologists know more about the history, development and direction of the city, promoting young Sinologists to become the disseminators of Chinese culture and witnesses to a beautiful China.

The program in Chongqing will have a variety of formats. To better understand Chongqing, the young Sinologists will visit natural heritage sites as well as the Digital Economic Industrial Park of Liangjiang district in Chongqing.

After the 21-day training program is completed, young Sinologists from all countries will exchange and summarize the results of their studies in China and submit training reports. The research results will be compiled into a book and published together.