Year of the Horse celebration strengthens China-Egypt cultural ties, friendship

CAIRO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese New Year celebration for the Year of the Horse was held Tuesday at Ain Shams University in Cairo, bringing together Chinese teachers and Egyptian students for a festive showcase of cultural exchange and deepening friendship.

The event was attended by officials from Ain Shams University, including the dean of the Faculty of Al-Alsun (Languages) and the head of the faculty's Chinese department, alongside representatives from the Chinese embassy in Cairo and both the Egyptian and Chinese directors of the Confucius Institute.

Addressing the gathering, Nasser Abdel-Aal, the Egyptian director of the institute, underlined the deeper meaning and "special significance" of this year's celebration, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Egyptian-Chinese diplomatic ties.

He said Egyptian students learning Chinese play an important role in strengthening mutual understanding between the two countries, describing them as "standing on one of the most important global platforms -- the platform of understanding China."