Senator Prof Datuk Seri Dr Awang Sariyan has been appointed Honorary Advisor of the Malay Chinese Studies Centre at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU).

Awang who is also Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka board of governors chairman, said he received the appointment letter on April 10 from the director of the School of Asian Studies who is also BFSU Malay Chinese Studies Centre director, Prof Dr Su Yingying.

Awang said the appointment was a continuation of his duties as the chair of the Malaysian government’s Malay Studies in China (2008-2011) and (2016-2018), in addition to being bestowed Honorary Professor of BFSU Language and Culture Education in 2012.

"Insya-Allah, this appointment will lay the foundation of understanding between the people of both countries through education and culture," he said in a Facebook post.

The Malay Language Centre was established at BFSU in 1997 following an agreement between the Malaysian government and the Chinese government to collaborate in the field of education, especially on Malay language learning in China.

In 2005, the Malay Language Centre was upgraded and known as the Malay Chinese Studies Centre and was officially made the base for scholarly activities and development of Malay language, literature and culture in China.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency