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北京大学英语新闻网/Peking University News
Afghan President Hamid Karzai Gives
a Speech at Peking University
PKU NEWS 2010--03—26
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=269875582
Peking University. Beijing. March 26, 2010: Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai
delivered a speech at Peking University on March 25, 2010. This was his second
time speaking at PKU. His last visit was in 2006.
PKU President Zhou warmly welcomed President Hamid Karzai to PKU and gave
him a present. President Zhou reflected back on the friendship between China and
Afghanistan, including the cultural communications and economic cooperation. He
said Peking University greatly values the cooperative relationship with Afghanistan in
higher education and hopes to bring it a new level. PKU Vice President Wu Zhipan
directed the lecture.
President Hamid Karzai gave a brilliant speech on the historical relationship between
the two neighboring countries as well as the challenges and opportunities they face
now.
―People set foot on the moon, but seldom visit their neighbors‖
Karzai says while the communications between the two neighbors dates back to time
when Buddhism was introduced to China, the knowledge about each other now is so
poor. ―People set foot on the moon, but seldom visit their neighbors‖ He considers
the regional communications and cooperation in economy, trade, and especially
culture are of great importance.
―I love to eat Chinese pears. Many fruits in Afghanistan are imported from China. ‖
He says. Besides the trade of industrial and agricultural products, the educational,
cultural exchange is also critical. ―I have watched CCTV9; the programs often
introduce history of places all over the world including Afghanistan. I like it.‖
When students asked questions, President Karzai encourages Afghan students to
speak in Chinese. The Chinese students with fluent Persian and English also won
the president‘s commendations.
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