Author: Wang Fang 

Publisher: College of Foreign Studies 

Date: July 9, 2025

In a ceremony marking several milestone anniversaries, Jinan University inaugurated its Canadian Research Center on July 5 and hosted the first China-Canada Public Diplomacy Innovation Symposium. The event, hosted by Jinan University’s College of Foreign Studies, drew more than 40 attendees, including leading Canadian studies scholars, public diplomacy experts, provincial and municipal foreign affairs officials, and representatives of China-Canada cultural and people-to-people exchange organizations.

Significance and goals 

The inauguration coincides with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Canada, the 30th anniversary of Guangdong's sister-province relationship with British Columbia, and the 40th anniversary of Guangzhou’s sister-city link with Vancouver. The gathering underscored a strategic push to leverage Jinan University’s strengths to advance national objectives, deepen China-Canada exchanges, and contribute to China’s broader modernisation project.

Key remarks

•Chen Ying, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at Jinan University, described the Canadian Research Center as a pivotal move for the university to serve national strategy by integrating high-quality on- and off-campus resources. The center will pursue in-depth research across Canadian politics, economy, culture, and society, and will help transform foreign language disciplines and global governance studies.

•Ambassador Tong Xiaoling, Vice President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, lauded Jinan University's efforts to innovate China-Canada public diplomacy within the Chinese path to modernization. She urged the center to harness the university’s overseas Chinese network, consolidate cross-sector resources, and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration to support national rejuvenation.

•Pu Ruoxi, Dean of the College of Foreign Studies, highlighted the center’s alignment with the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development strategy. He described the center as a new engine for the college’s discipline development and for advancing China-Canada cultural exchanges.

Appointments and formalities

At the ceremony, Chen Ying presented appointment letters to:

•Professor Wei Li, Vice President of the China-Canada Studies Association and Director of the Canada Studies Center at Inner Mongolia University

•Professor Wan Xiaohong, Vice Dean of the School of Politics and Administration at South China Normal University and Director of the American Studies Center

•Professor Bai Yang, President of the China World Chinese Literature Association and Director of the Overseas Chinese Literature and Chinese Media Research Center at Jinan University

Additional appointments were conferred by Cao Zhipeng, Deputy Director of the Social Sciences Department, and Pu Ruoxian, Dean of the College of Foreign Studies, naming:

•Professor Wu Jinping as Honorary Director

•Associate Professor Chi Leiming as Deputy Director

Celebratory messages 

A congratulatory video segment featured voices from overseas Chinese communities, including Yang Shu, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Vancouver, as well as leaders from the Guangdong–British Columbia Business Council and the Vancouver–Guangzhou Friendship Association. The messages expressed strong support for Jinan University’s Canadian Research Center and its role in fostering robust China-Canada ties.

Discussion and outlook 

The symposium’s keynote sessions covered a wide range of topics: the current state and future prospects of China-Canada relations since the 21st century, the evolution of Chinese literature in Canada, regional and national trends in Canadian cultural research, and the dynamics of international education exchanges between the two countries. Other topics included the impact of Canada's AI development on university entrepreneurship education, the changing landscape of Chinese-Canadian society, and the mutual influence of Eastern and Western civilizations. Papers also explored medical and cultural exchanges and the portrayal of “Chinese” in the works of new immigrant writers in Canada.

Professor Wang Jin, Director of the Canadian Studies Center at Jinan University, provided a historical overview of people-to-people exchanges within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. He emphasized that the center will prioritize organizing and researching historical resources on overseas Chinese in Canada and will promote interdisciplinary, practical research to support innovation in public diplomacy and cross-border exchanges.

Looking ahead, the Canadian Research Center at Jinan University aims to serve as a platform for rigorous scholarship, policy-relevant insights, and sustained collaboration that strengthens China-Canada relations at multiple levels.