Visit by David Mulroney, the Canadian Ambassador to China

On December 11th, David Mulroney, the Canadian Ambassador to China, visited SDU and attended the Conference on Social Inclusion Policy and Practice in China and Canada, which was co-hosted by SDU and the University of British Columbia. He was met by President Xu Xianming.

Xu mentioned the historical ties between SDU and the University of Toronto where Mulroney studied, and recalled the year 2000 when the former Ambassador Arthur Menzies donated to SDU a collection of books and antiques by his father James Menzies, a Sinologist who once was the Dean of the Department of Archaeology in Cheeloo University. Xu then introduced the ongoing international research programs, the humanities studies and research on Chinese traditional culture, as well as cooperation with Canadian universities. Xu expects more cooperation after Mulroney s visit and more Canadian students to study in SDU. Mulroney was glad that cooperative ties had been constructed between Canadian universities and SDU. He said that the Canadian government supports educational cooperation such as student exchanges between universities in Canada and China. More students will be encouraged to study in China. After the meeting, Mulroney attended the Conference on Social Inclusion Policy and Practice in China and Canada.

Also present at the meeting were Counselor Mark McDowell, representatives from the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Province, Director Tong Guangwu of the International Office of SDU Dean Liu Jie of the School of Philosophy and Social Development, Former President Guo Jide of the Association for Canadian Studies, and Prof. Tim Stainton, Interim Director of the School of Social Work, University of British Columbia.

By Liang Lijuan