Egyptian Minister of Higher Education Amr Salama on Wednesday awarded honors to five Chinese Arab scholars for their excellent work in Arabic-teaching, translation and research.

The honors, the first of their kind awarded to Chinese scholars by an Arab country, went to Professor Zhu Weilie from Shanghai International Studies University, Professor Zhong Jikun from Peking University, Professor Guo Shaohua from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Professor Yang Yanhong and Professor Ge Tieying from University of International Business and Economics.

Visiting Chinese Vice Minister of Education Zhang Baoqing and several senior Egyptian officials including Salama and Minister of Education Ahmed Gamal Eddin Mussa attended the ceremony. Before the ceremony, Zhang held a meeting with the Egyptian officials to discuss means to further promote cooperation between the two countries in the field of higher education.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2005)