Recently, under the sponsorship of Ministry of Education in China’s Centre for Language Education and Cooperation and hosted by Changsha University of Science and Technology (CSUST), the 2025 "Chinese Bridge" delegation consisting of 20 Chinese Primary School Principals from Sabah, Malaysia began their educational exchange journey in China. Led jointly by the directors of the Confucius Institute at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (CI@UMS), the delegation visited Xianglong Primary School and Principal Wu Ying’s studio in Changsha for a 5-day programme. The group comprised Chinese principals and representatives from the Sabah Donglian.
Upon entering Xianglong Primary School, the delegation was warmly greeted with a vibrant display of student talents. Outdoor performances featured dragon and lion dances, martial arts, traditional opera, and live instrumental music on the guzheng and pipa. Indoors, cultural exhibition areas like "Ink & Fragrance of Books," "Brush & Ink Wonders," "Magic of the Scissors," and a "Poetic Blossoms" corner showcased the students’ depth in Chinese calligraphy, painting, poetry, and crafts—leaving the guests immersed in the rich atmosphere of Chinese cultural charm.
During the welcome ceremony, Wu Ying, the principal of Xianglong Primary school, expressed her hope to build a new chapter of educational cooperation with colleagues in Sabah. Zhou Wei, deputy director of the Changsha County Education Bureau echoed this, stating his aspiration for this poetic environment at Xianglong Primary School to become a platform for a transcendent cultural and educational dialogue between China and Malaysia.
During the exchange, teachers from Xianglong Primary School impressed the delegation with their innovative course materials. Yu Xiaohan, one of the teachers, led her first-grade students to use AI to create a cross-time dialogue with the poet from Li Bai, helping students understand the different "moons" in his poems. Her creative and skillful lesson brought the iconic line "The moonlight before my bed..." to life—transforming it into a cultural bridge linking China and Malaysia.
The delegation also engaged in in-depth exchange at Principal Wu Ying’s studio. Principal Wu shared the studio’s development and expressed eagerness to establish a deeper mechanism for cooperation with Sabah’s education sector. She emphasised a shared mission to preserve Chinese-language education and cultural heritage, and to contribute educational wisdom to a high-level China-Malaysia strategic community with a shared future.
Mr. Ben Lim Kiat Kong, Chairman of the Sabah Donglian, shared his vision on the mission of education and cultural connection. He noted that Changsha’s holistic “Five-Education Approach” and Sabah’s steadfast commitment to Chinese education share the same goal—cultivating culturally conscious students of the new era.
Mr. Tan Choong How, Vice Chairman of Sabah Donglian, recounted the century-long journey of Chinese-language education in Sabah. He expressed hope for deeper dialogue between Sabah and Hunan to invigorate the building of a high-quality Malaysia-China education community.
The principals from both sides engaged in passionate discussions on Chinese-language education, leadership development, and the integration of AI in teaching. Both sides expressed their commitment to strengthening collaboration and jointly opening a new chapter in Sabah-Hunan educational exchange.
