AMMAN – Under the patronage of HE Dr.
Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and founder of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global
(TAG.Global), the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Confucius Institute (TAG-Confucius) has
organized a ceremony to celebrate the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival that
began on the 10th of February .

Representing H.E.  Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, TAG-Confucius Executive
Director Mr. Mamoun Abu Sebaa’ has attended the ceremony along with Mr. Gong
Anmin, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Jordan in the presence of
Ms. Shi Wei, Cultural Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Jordan, and
representatives of the Chinese diplomatic mission in Jordan.

The ceremony was also attended by members
of the Chinese community in Jordan, in addition to students from TAG-Confucius
and other Jordanian universities.

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Anmin
congratulated the people of Jordan and China on the New Year 2024 and the
Chinese Spring Festival. He applauded the historic Jordanian-Chinese relations
that are founded on friendship and mutual respect.

Mr. Anmin, furthermore, highly praised the
role of Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh in developing and enhancing the Chinese-Arab ties
through distinctive contributions conducted by TAG.Global and by himself
personally in the fields of economy, culture, education and technology,
referring to the 15-year-long partnership with TAG- Confucius which is
considered the first destination in the Arab region for those who seek to learn
Chinese and know more about Chinese culture.

On the economic front, Mr. Anmin pointed
to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was recently signed between
Jordan and China on the joint construction of the ‘Belt and the Road’
initiative. He noted that it’s a promising and a strategic move towards
enhancing bilateral cooperation and reinforcing economic and political bonds
between the two countries.

 “Signing the MoU reflects the commitment of
the two parties to boost economic cooperation and infrastructure in the region,
which would lead to positive developments in various sectors. This would also
improve transport and supply chains, including roads, ports among other
logistic areas,” he said.

For his part, Mr. Abu Al Sebaa’
highlighted the role of the TAG-Confucius, indicating that it is the first
institute acknowledged by the Chinese government for teaching and promoting
Chinese language and culture in Jordan. 

"It is my pleasure to celebrate with
you the Chinese New Year on behalf of HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh. This year
marks the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing glory and fortune. As legends say
this mythical creature’s good fortune should be sprinkled on all, but first we
need to treat each other with kindness and compassion. As we celebrate the New
Year, we will not forget our brothers and sisters in Gaza who face daily
disasters. We also salute the role of China in supporting the Palestinian cause
and rights and advocating for a two-state solution. We hope that this conflict
comes to an end soon, allowing the Palestinian people to live in security and
peace,” he said.

During the ceremony, TAG-Confucius’s
students and teachers presented artistic performances portraying the Chinese
heritage including singing, reciting poetry, and displaying traditional Chinese
costumes. That is in addition to presenting the techniques of the Tai chi (also
taiji), Chinese spiritual and physical exercises that are widely practiced by
the Chinese people.

According to Chinese traditions, the
Chinese Charge d’affaires and Cultural presented red envelopes containing cash
(known as "hongbao" in Chinese) to the attending children.