240 South Sudanese get scholarships to Chinese universities

September 2, 2017 (JUBA) – At least 240 South Sudanese students have been awarded scholarships to study in various Chinese universities.

The charge d’affaires at the Chinese embassy in Juba, Li Xiangfeng, said the scholarships cover economics, agriculture, international relations and medicine fields.

“I would like to appeal to our scholars to come back to South Sudan for a stronger state building of their nation and a better livelihood of the people,” Xiangfeng told Xinhua.

“Furthermore, you are also ambassadors of South Sudan to China. We hope you would come back with not only knowledge and expertise, but also sincere friendship between our two nations and people,” he added.

The program, the envoy said, is part of China’s contribution to the development of South Sudan by supporting economic and human resource development.

The human resource development programs in China, he noted, will boost the knowledge the people of South Sudan, a country that has been at war since 2013.

China, according to its envoy, has offered 4,100 scholarships and short-term training programs for South Sudanese since the young nation gained independence in July 2011.

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s minister for higher education, Yien Oral Lam lauded the contribution from the Chinese government and vowed to cooperate with its people.

“I appreciate our level of interaction with the people of China not only in the field of education, politics and economic development, but we want to continue with our social and cultural interaction with the Chinese people,” said Lam.

China was one of the nations that recognized South Sudan’s independence from Sudan in 2011.

(ST)