On November 14, a delegation led by Saysana Sitthiphone, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Lao Laos-China Cooperation Committee and the President of the Laos Alumni Association for Returned Students from Yunnan, visited Kunming University of Science and Technology. Wang Hua, President of KUST, Niu Yuyu, Liu Dianwen, Vice Presidents of KUST, and the head of the Southeast Asia Division of Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province attended the event.

Wang Hua, on behalf of KUST, welcomed the arrival of Saysana Sitthiphone and his delegation, reviewed the long and fruitful history of educational exchanges and cooperation between KUST and Laos, highlighted the achievements made by KUST in recent years, and expressed his gratitude to the Laos-China Cooperation Committee for its long-term concern and support given to the construction and development of KUST. Saysana Sitthiphone congratulated KUST on its achievements in recent years. As a good neighbor and friend of China, he expressed his willingness to foster closer and more pragmatic cooperation with KUST to contribute to consolidation of friendly cooperative relations between Laos and China.

During the visit, the delegation toured key laboratories in the Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, the Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, and the Institute of Primate Transitional Medicine, where the relevant leaders introduced the disciplines and scientific research teams, achievements transformation, and technology development. Members of the delegation highly praised advanced scientific research facilities and innovation capabilities of KUST, and expressed strong interest in KUST’s scientific research achievements in the fields of artificial intelligence, drone technology, food development and safety testing, and biomedical research, expressing a strong desire to strengthen cooperation in these fields.

Wang Hua pointed out that KUST will continue to uphold the philosophy of openness and inclusiveness, commit to international development, and deepen cooperation with Laos universities and related institutions. He emphasized the willingness to share technology and experience, jointly build collaboraive platforms, promote resource sharing, and advance talent exchange and cultivation. He welcomed alumni who have studied in Yunnan to revisit to Yunnan and the university, contributing to humanistic exchanges and regional common development between Laos-China and Laos-Yunnan. He expressed his hope that both sides will achieve substantial cooperation results in more fields and open a new chapter of cooperation in the future.

It is reported that the Laos Alumni Association of Returned Students from Yunnan was initiated by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos and the Department of Education of Yunnan Province. It was established in September 2018 in Vientiane, aiming to unite the returned students from Yunnan, to better build the country and serve the friendship between China and Laos. In March 2023, Party Secretary Wang Ning led the Yunnan Provincial Friendship Delegation to visit Laos and made a special trip to visit the representatives of the returned students from Yunnan. Wang Ning expressed that “Yunnan Province will, as always, support the development of the Association and welcome everyone to visit Yunnan to experience ‘A Many-Splendored Life in Yunnan’”.

Heads of Faculty of Information Engineering and Automation, Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, and Institute of Primate Transitional Medicine, School of International Education attended the above events.

Translated by: LI Wenting, Division of International Cooperation

Source: School of International Education

Issued by: Division of International Cooperation (English)