The University of the West Indies, Mona and the Government of the People’s Republic of China have signed an agreement to establish a Confucius Institute at Mona. The Institute will be the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean. The agreement was signed on Thursday, February 12 by Mona Principal, Professor Gordon Shirley, and China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, H. E. Chen Jinghua at a ceremony held at the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica.

On Friday, February 13, the Vice President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping, who was in Jamaica on a four-day official visit, visited the Mona Campus and presented the Principal with a plaque for the Institute.

The Confucius Institute is a non-profit educational institution, which seeks to promote Chinese language and culture, and supports local Chinese teaching internationally, through affiliated Confucius Institutes. It is headquartered in Beijing, under the Office of Chinese Language Council International. Establishment of the Confucius Institute at Mona is part of an initiative to strengthen educational cooperation between China and Jamaica, support and promote the development of Chinese language education, and increase mutual understanding among people in China and in Jamaica.

In welcoming the Institute, Professor Gordon Shirley, noted that it was a joint commitment that underlined the enduring close relationship between Jamaica and China."As the premier learning institute in Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean, the UWI welcomes the opportunity to facilitate this exchange of knowledge. The UWI prides itself on its role in bringing together people of various socio-cultural, economic and political backgrounds, to foster intellectual and cultural exchange and disseminate new knowledge," he said.

He explained that the institute would support the development of Chinese language education in Jamaica and the region. "Through its programme of cultural exchanges, teachings, research, and the staging of cultural and educational exhibitions, seminars and symposiums, the Institute will attract increased numbers of students, both locally and internationally, including students from China, to the Mona Campus, simultaneously increasing and deepening our understanding and appreciation of the culture of the people of China," he said.

In response, Vice President Xi said the Institute "will not only meet the need of the people in the Caribbean region to learn Chinese language and to know Chinese culture, but will also become an open bridge for mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and the Caribbean people."

He pointed out that China had established diplomatic relations with Jamaica and Guyana in 1972, thereby beginning a new phase in the relationship between China and the Caribbean. He added that China now provides dozens of Government scholarships to Jamaica and other Caribbean countries and sends cultural groups, volunteers, and Chinese language teachers to Caribbean countries.

Mr. Xi also mentioned the impressive performance of Jamaica's athletes at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Vice President said that with the increasing people to people and cultural exchanges between the two sides, the friendship between China and the Caribbean would be more fruitful. He wished the Confucius Institute every success.
Also participating in the ceremony were UWI Vice Chancellor, Professor. E. Nigel Harris, and other members of the UWI management team. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr. Kenneth Baugh; Minister of Education, Andrew Holness;  Minister of State in the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ronald Robinson, and Jamaica’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Courtney Rattray also attended the function.

The establishment of the Confucius Institute at Mona has attracted a great deal of attention worldwide. Click on the links below to see some of the reports:

News of the Communist Party of China: http://big5.people.com.cn/gate/big5/english.cpc.people.com.cn/66102/6593...

The Wall Street Journal: http://davos.wsj.com/photo/0dNW7YBbAR5Jd?q=Wen+Jiabao

China View: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/14/content_10817183.htm

Caribbean Net News: http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/article.php?news_id=14272

Carib Seek  Caribbean News: http://news.caribseek.com/Jamaica/article_74788.shtml

JIS: http://www.jis.gov.jm/education/html/20090213t160000-0500_18452_jis_conf...