On the afternoon of November 2, 2014, CUPL President Prof. Huang Jin met with Ms. Wang Ke, the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados at Xueyuanlu (Graduate) Campus. The two sides held in-depth talks and compared notes on establishing a Confucius Institute at the University of the West Indies (UWI), at Cave Hill, Barbados.

President Huang extended a warm welcome to Ms. Wang, and expressed his gratitude for the strong support offered by the Ambassador and the Chinese Embassy to Barbados in helping CUPL co-establish a Confucius Institute with UWI Cave Hill. He remarked that the founding of a Confucius Institute overseas would on one hand popularize the Chinese language and its culture among the locals, and could, on the other hand, serve as a broad platform for cooperation and exchange with our foreign counterparts. As of now, CUPL has set up two Confucius Institutes overseas,namely the Confucius Institute at Bangor University (UK), and the Confucius Institute at Bucharest University (Romania). President Huang expressed his wish that our collaboration with partners from Central and South American countries could be further strengthened by the planned Confucius Institute. He is confident that with firm support from Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and senior officials of the local Chinese Embassy, CUPL, teaming up with UWI Cave Hill, will actively make thorough preparations for the upcoming unveiling ceremony of the Confucius Institute.

Ms. Wang Ke expressed heartfelt thanks to the host for his hospitality. She gave a detailed introduction on the situations of Barbados and the Caribbean region. She also remarked that Barbados is fascinated by Chinese culture and traditions, and the Confucius Institute’s inauguration would further cement communication between China and the Caribbean region in the realm of Chinese language, culture and trade.

In the ensuing talks, the two sides exchanged ideas on particular arrangements for the anticipated unveiling ceremony.