KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Fostering international education cooperation is crucial to shaping a more promising future for everyone in the world, a Malaysian official said here on Saturday.

In his speech at the ASEAN (Malaysia)-China Higher Education Forum, Higher Education Deputy Minister Mustapha Sakmud noted education is not solely a national concern but also a shared global responsibility.

"Malaysia recognizes China as one of the most important partners in the field of higher education. We commend China's effort on enhancing people-to-people exchanges and higher education cooperation through bilateral engagement and also through multilateral platforms such as ASEAN," he added.

Mustapha said that currently there are over 40,000 Chinese students in Malaysia, and that he takes the opportunity to welcome graduate students and researchers from China to Malaysia and do their research as well as pursue their tertiary education.

"Therefore, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, we are committed to strengthening cooperation in higher education between Malaysia and China," he added.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC) Shi Zhongjun said that education plays a pivotal role in science and technology, economic and social development with educational exchanges and cooperation being a key part of the China-Malaysia bilateral relations.

"The high-quality development of higher education is an area of focus for both China and ASEAN, with Malaysia included. With this in mind, our forum today could serve as a platform to enhance mutual understanding between the two sides, form partnership and exchange ideas on key issues including quality assurance, student service, language teaching as well as digital development," he said.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said 2024 is the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges and also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia.

"This forum is not only an important platform for us to deepen cooperation in higher education, but also a valuable opportunity for us to jointly explore educational innovation and promote talent cultivation," he said.

Co-organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and ACC, the forum runs concurrently with the 2024 HSK Study In China Education & Career Expo 2024, offering prospective students a glimpse into educational opportunities in China. Enditem

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