To expand Chinese language education collaborations between Taiwan and Malaysia, and to enhance Malaysian officials’ understanding of Taiwan’s Chinese language education and vocational education, the Ministry of Education invited 19 Malaysian officials from the state of Kedah to participate in a 10-day intensive Chinese language program. The Ministry also hopes to facilitate the promotion of professional and vocational education and training in both Taiwan and Malaysia, by strengthening international education cooperation between them.

The intensive language program, was designed by and held at the Chinese Language Center at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages. It included culture and education exchanges, to learn about the multifaceted Chinese language education that Taiwan offers. As well as learning some Chinese—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—and visiting cultural sites, in response to a request from participants, visits were also arranged to local government and vocational schools.

An opening ceremony was held at the university on October 19. Director-General Siti Aminah Binti Ibrahim from Kedah State Education Department (Academic Affairs), Margaret Mei-Hua Chen, the president of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, and Deputy Education Counselor Wei-Yu Huang from the Ministry of Education’s Department of International and Cross-strait Education, were among the dignitaries taking part.  

During her opening remarks, Huang Wei-Yu explained that Taiwan provides excellent Chinese teachers and high-quality teaching materials as part of its promotion of Chinese language education. Taiwan continues to use traditional Chinese characters and students who come to Taiwan to learn Chinese can get a taste of traditional Chinese culture, in combination with modern life under a democratic government. They can also get to meet some of Taiwan’s friendly and passionate people. These are all commonly mentioned features of learning Chinese in Taiwan.

Taiwan currently has 62 Chinese language centers that accept overseas students, and 18 universities with departments dedicated to training professional Chinese language teachers. Taiwan can certainly help to satisfy Malaysian’s demand for opportunities to learn Chinese by offering comprehensive and professional Chinese teaching products and services, such as language programs, Chinese teachers, language proficiency certification, and teaching materials.