On April 7, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand paid a visit to Shandong University and was awarded an SDU Honorary Professorship Letter of Appointment by SDU President Zhang Rong.

　　Thailand Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn delivers a speech on the conferring ceremony.

Princess Sirindhorn said that she has forged an indissoluble bound with China and Chinese culture since she started learning Chinese at her mother`s suggestion thirty years ago. She has translated many Chinese novels into Thai which has allowed Thai people to better understand China`s history, society, and culture.

Princess Sirindhorn noted that Shandong is the hometown of Confucius and Mencius with a rich traditional culture, and SDU has a profound cultural background and cultivated many talents and expressed that she was very honored and happy to be an honorary professor of SDU.

She stated that friendly feelings and mutual understanding were the foundation for enhancing a mutual friendship and that she was looking forward to further communication and cooperation in the cultural sector and educational sector between China and Thailand to actively engage in cultivating more people as envoys of China-Thailand friendship.

　　SDU President Zhang Rong delivers a speech on the conferring ceremony.

Zhang warmly welcomed Princess Sirindhorn and expressed appreciation for her contributions in advancing China-Thailand friendship over the years. He remarked that the princess, as an old friend of China and SDU as well, paid her first visit to SDU in March, 2000 and it is a significant event that Princess Sirindhorn has become a member of SDU.

Zhang pointed out that, as one of the China’s oldest institutions of higher learning, SDU has been adhering to its internationalization development strategy and has always welcomed international students from all parts of the world. He expressed his hope that Princess Sirindhorn would continue to support the development of SDU and further promote China-Thailand’s educational and cultural exchange programs.

　　President of SDU Zhang Rong meets with Thailand Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn prior to the conferring ceremony.

Prior to the conferring ceremony, Zhang introduced SDU’s history of development, current situation and preponderant disciplines and expressed his hope that Princess Sirindhorn would continue to support the cultural and educational exchange between SDU and Thai colleges and universities in order to encourage more Thai students to come to study in SDU. Zhang also expressed his congratulation for the opening of the Thailand Consulate-general in Qingdao.

Princess Sirindhorn thanked SDU for the warm reception and stated that she would, as always, support the cooperation and exchange between Thai colleges and universities and SDU, especially in the fields of crystalline material and marine science.

　　Princess Sirindhorn and her delegation visit the State Key Lab of Crystal Materials, SDU after the conferring ceremony.

　　Conferring Ceremony site

　　SDU Vice President Lou Hongxiang presided over the ceremony.

A 30-member delegation including H.E. Mr. Wiboon Khusakul, Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Thailand to China, and his wife H.E. Mrs. Hatay Khusakul, Deputy Consul-General of Consulate General of Kingdom of Thailand in Qingdao, as well as Khunying Sumontha Promboon, from the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary, Thailand and Vanida Kuttawas, Consul-General of Consulate General of Kingdom of Thailand in Qingdao, also were a part of the princess’ visit to SDU.

Guan Mu, the former Chinese Ambassador to Thailand as well as officials from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zhang Guoliang, from Shandong Foreign Affairs Office were all present during the Thai delegation’s visit.

Sixty members including SDU’s Officials from related department and students as well as representatives of Thai students attended the related activities.

Translated by Jing Zi-zhao

Photoed by Yang Yun-lei