On January 19, the Institute grandly held the opening ceremony for the South African cross-border e-commerce students under the Belt and Road E-Commerce Valley Project. Distinguished guests in attendance included Lu Chunyang, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Vocational Education Teaching Steering Committee for E-commerce; Chen Songtao, Deputy Director of the South African Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Center; Xin Yulin, Secretary-General of the Chinese Cooperative Council for the South African Vocational College Professional Center Training Lab Project; and Ru Bao, Chairman of Hangzhou Siteng Network Technology Co., Ltd. Institute Party Secretary Liu Xiuli and Vice Principal Lin Feng were also present. The ceremony was presided over by Lin Feng.
Lu Chunyang extended congratulations to the 20 South African youths. In his address, he emphasized that the Belt and Road E-Commerce Valley International Cooperation Project serves as a key vehicle for national strategies and was designated by the Ministry of Education in 2025 as part of the "Vocational Education Service to Strengthen the Nation Industry-Education Integration Project." He noted that this South African program represents a significant achievement in vocational education and industrial collaboration between China and South Africa. Lu highlighted Zhejiang's role as a hub for digital economy development, an international cross-border e-commerce nexus, and a major manufacturing province, as well as Hangzhou's status as China’s first cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone. He also pointed out that the Institute’s e-commerce specialty cluster is a national "Double High-Level" program, providing an excellent immersive learning ecosystem for the students. Lu encouraged the students to seize this opportunity to build bridges between China and South Africa, transform their learning into impactful capabilities, and contribute to renewed friendship and cooperation between the two nations in the digital era.
On behalf of the Institute, Liu Xiuli welcomed and congratulated the South African students and expressed sincere gratitude to the organizations that facilitated the project. She stated that the program is a concrete practice of implementing the spirit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and deepening China-South Africa educational exchanges, as well as a practical measure in serving the construction of the "Digital Silk Road." Liu urged the South African students to cherish this valuable trans-oceanic learning experience, actively integrate into campus life, and deepen their professional expertise. She hopes they will hone their cross-border e-commerce skills through practical learning, enhance mutual friendship through cultural exchange, and carve out brilliant chapters in their growth journey.
Chen Songtao congratulated the smooth launch of the program and fully acknowledged the Institute’s preparatory work. He stated that this specialized training program offers a valuable platform for South African youth to access China’s high-quality educational resources and the benefits of the digital economy. It is a vivid example of the integration of cultural, educational, and economic cooperation between China and South Africa. Chen encouraged the students to grasp the opportunity, deepen their expertise, accumulate experience, and aspire to become pioneers in cross-border e-commerce entrepreneurship or employees of renowned enterprises after graduation. He hopes they will achieve professional value and substantial returns, and become key contributors to advancing economic and trade exchanges between China and South Africa .
"China’s achievements in the e-commerce field are admirable. I applied for this program to systematically learn professional cross-border e-commerce skills and realize my career aspirations," said Ah Amile Quickwe, representing the South African freshmen. She expressed heartfelt thanks to the Institute and all involved parties, and shared her hope that during her time at the Institute, she would not only master professional knowledge but also gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. She aims to become an envoy of friendship in China-South Africa cultural exchange, living up to this trans-oceanic learning opportunity.
Wei Zheng, a teacher from the Institute of Digital Trade and the assigned homeroom teacher for the South African class, briefly introduced the program’s implementation plan and teaching arrangements. The project integrates high-quality internal faculty resources with cross-border e-commerce industry experts, adopting a cultivation model that deeply combines "theory and practice" to help students become proficient in relevant cross-border e-commerce roles. He encouraged everyone to fully utilize the platform’s quality resources and achieve personal growth and transformation through learning and practice.
During the ceremony, Institute leaders presented the Institute badges, symbolizing their identity as members of the institute, to the student representatives, warmly welcoming them as official "Economy and Trade members." In subsequent heartfelt segments, such as "co-planting a wish tree" and presenting souvenirs, participating guests, teachers, and students collectively wrote down their wishes for 2026 and placed them into the wish tree, jointly witnessing the embarkation of the South African students’ "Study at Economy and Trade" journey.
The successful opening ceremony marks the official launch of the Institute’s 2026 Belt and Road E-Commerce Valley Project for South African cross-border e-commerce students, establishing a new bridge for educational cooperation between China and South Africa. Moving forward, the Institute will use this project as an opportunity to further deepen industry-education integration and international collaboration, meticulously advance teaching implementation and support services, and focus on cultivating high-quality talent with both professional proficiency and cross-cultural competencies. The aim is to make this project a model for China-South Africa educational cooperation, contributing "Economy and Trade strength" to enhancing bilateral friendship and promoting global digital economic development.
The event was also attended by representatives from the Student Affairs Office, Academic Affairs Office, Institute of Digital Trade, International Education College, International Exchange and Cooperation Center, as well as faculty representatives and Chinese student representatives.
