200 Youths From Malaysia, China Take Part In Friendship Day

PETALING JAYA (Selangor, Malaysia), Dec 1 (Bernama) -- In a move to create better relations and rapport between local students and those from China studying here, the 'Malaysia-China Youth Friendship Day' (MCYFD) was organised here Sunday. Malaysia-China Friendship Association president Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan said the inaugural MCYFD was aimed at creating an opportunity for students from both countries to build and strengthen relations to a "practical and personal" level. "The government-to-government relationship is very good. But our part is to bring people-to-people relations to a greater level. "We hope they begin their everlasting relations here for real, personal friendship," he told reporters after officiating the event at the Sunway University here Sunday. The one-day event was jointly organised by the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) and the association, in collaboration with Akademi Belia, YouthsToday.com and China Student Association of Malaysia. This was in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries. Abdul Majid, who was a former Malaysian ambassador to China from 1998 to 2005, said currently, about 10,000 Chinese students pursued their studies in Malaysia. About 200 students aged between 16 and 25, including 75 students from China, and who are studying at the various private and public higher educational institutions, took part in the one-day programme which included cultural presentation, games and competitions. Meanwhile, Chinese national, Wang Hang Xiong, 24, said the event was very useful and helped the youths from China and Malaysia to get connected. The final year accountancy student from the private university of INTI International University, Nilai hopes the friends he made at the gathering on Sunday will develop into a long-term relationship. Malaysian student Chow Shenn Kuan, 18, said the event was an opportunity to strengthen the bond between peoples of both nations. "I was really looking forward to this event, it is a great place to meet new friends from China...it helps to know better about China," she said. --BERNAMA