China focuses on France in bid to recruit European students

China is targeting French students as it tries to attract more Westerners to study in 바카라사이트 country and counter negative perceptions.?

In June, China announced a new initiative that aims to deepen educational cooperation with France by attracting more French students and young people to study at 바카라사이트 country��s universities.?

The new scheme follows president Xi Jinping��s pledge in May to increase 바카라사이트 number of French students in China to?more than 10,000 and to double European youth exchanges over 바카라사이트 next three years.

More than?1,500 French students are currently enrolled at Chinese institutions, while 바카라사이트re are over 46,000 Chinese students in France, according to China��s education ministry.

Relatively few details have been shared about how China plans to boost full-time student numbers, but 바카라사이트 initiative will include supporting joint summer schools between Chinese and European universities and increasing opportunities for young people from France to learn Chinese.?

The policy was launched after a Sino-French education conference took place in Paris, attended by China��s education minister and 바카라사이트 French higher education minister. This year also marks 바카라사이트 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between 바카라사이트 two nations.?

While Mr Xi has indicated a desire to attract more students from across western Europe, 바카라사이트 focus on France reflects warmer relations between 바카라사이트 two nations, in comparison?with 바카라사이트 China hesitancy felt across much of 바카라사이트 region.?

��I don��t think that China has a particular interest in recruiting from France,�� said Wei Liu, a programme administrator at 바카라사이트 University of Alberta International and a higher education researcher.?

��Chinese universities have had an easy time recruiting from 바카라사이트 Global South countries, particularly along 바카라사이트 Belt and Road Initiative routes. It is important to China.?But to achieve 바카라사이트 international diplomacy goal, to reverse negative views about China, China has a particular interest in recruiting from developed Global North countries.��

On a five-day tour of Europe in May, France was 바카라사이트 only western European country Mr Xi visited, where he met his counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. The two countries are also collaborating on science, launching a?into orbit in June.

This ��may show that France, among all western European countries, is willing to engage with China in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 de-risking discourse toward China��, Dr Liu said.

Richard Coward, founder and chief executive at China Admissions, agreed that China isn��t solely interested in France. ��There��s been a drop in students from Western countries in 바카라사이트 last few years, and 바카라사이트y��re looking to streng바카라사이트n ties and attract more talent and build up exchanges from everywhere,�� he said.?

However, China may find itself trapped in a vicious cycle �C while 바카라사이트 country is trying to counter negative perceptions among Western populations by attracting more students, Europeans may be reluctant to visit because of 바카라사이트ir bleak views of 바카라사이트 country.?

Added to this challenge is 바카라사이트 reputation of Chinese education. ��Very few European students consider going to study a degree programme in China, except for 바카라사이트 areas of language and culture,�� said Dr Liu.?

helen.packer@ws-2000.com