The ambassador was speaking during the award ceremony of the Chinese Spring Festival Quiz held at the Embassy in Bijilo. The event, done in celebration of the Chinese New Year, attracted participants from the embassy, Management of The Standard Newspaper, guests from UTG Confucius Institute, students from Nusrat High School and Gambia Kungfu Wushu Federation and the media.
Ambassador Liu expressed delight, saying he was happy that many Gambians are interested in Chinese culture and development. He thus described that as very important part of the two countries’ bilateral relations as President Adama Barrow had mentioned that the countries are two friends.
“Now we have a good relationship but how to keep this relation sustainable is to increase people-to-people understanding of the partnership. In the coming years, we will have more of people to people exchange,” he stated.
He said that his embassy was planning to invite around 300 Gambian friends to visit China this year in order to join their training and exchange programme to further consolidate the two countries' partnership.
Several people who participated in the quiz competition were awarded prizes for winning first, second and third place.
Georgina Riley, 1st prize winner of the Quiz who works as an administrative assistant at the UN embassy, explained that she has always been keen to learn about the cultures of different countries from a younger age; and that’s why when she saw the first publication of the quiz, she didn't hesitate to participate.
“The Chinese government supports the social and economic development of the Gambia by implementing projects such as roads and bridge constructions and as well in sectors like agriculture, health, fisheries and providing scholarships for training,” she said.
She continued that China and the Gambia have a good diplomatic relationship, saying it is no surprise that the Chinese Embassy in The Gambia has cooperated with the Standard Newspaper for the Chinese traditional culture award-winning quiz which is a step for Gambians to learn, understand and appreciate the traditional Chinese culture.
