Spellings hails 'historic' Sino-US education deal
By Zhu Zhe (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-11-18 09:12
Chinese and US students will have greater access to educational exchange
programmes as the two countries have agreed to expand and promote
educational co-operation.
Further co-operation in higher education, language learning and teaching,
and primary and secondary education were highlighted in a memorandum of
understanding signed by education ministers from both countries on Thursday.
Margaret Spellings,
"historic" at a breakfast panel discussion hosted by the China
Chamber of
Commerce on Friday in
She said the
co-operation and exchanges with
university presidents, is the first ever high-profile delegation of US
college and university presidents to
"It is even more compelling that on this first ever delegation,
of the firsts of the first, as our trip starts from
said.
Education co-operation and exchanges between the
have been developing rapidly in recent years. More than 63,000 Chinese
students are currently studying in the
been a rise in the number of
A recent report from the New York-based Institute of International
Education, one of the world's largest international education organizations,
shows that 6,389 US students came to China in the 2005-06 academic year, up
35 per cent year-on-year. The report also lists
country among the top 10 popular destinations for US students to study
abroad.
Spellings said she is pleased with the numbers but not satisfied. "US
students do want to come to study in
as well as to help Chinese students to come to our country."
Both Spellings and Dina Powell,
led the delegation, emphasized that the
streamline the visa application process, making it easier for foreign
students, including those from
"We've been working hard on that issue, and the problems have been
diminished," she said.
Last year, the
exchange visas, among which about 19,000 were given to Chinese students.
Meanwhile, more than 97 per cent of qualified student applicants obtained
their visas within a matter of days.
(China Daily 11/18/2006 page1)