Dannypieters

Danny Pieters, president of the Belgian Senate. It is for me a privilege and a true pleasure to open this event, the importance of which transcends the mere university exchange. Indeed it is by no way a coincidence that the higher education fair and forum, hosted by Group T, is held at the 40th anniversary of the Chinese-Belgian diplomatic relations. Building upon personal contacts as well as a high degree of respect and admiration for the Chinese culture, Prof Dr Dr Honoris Causa Johan De Graeve of Group T managed to give most substance to the relation between our two nations. We should be grateful for him doing so and in this way offering to Chinese and Flemish students and scholars excellent opportunities to personal and Does it need to be remembered that our two countries rather differ in size and number of inhabitants? Yet I am convinced that such events as the higher education fair and forum which we celebrate today, can be of a very concrete and tangible benefit for both of our countries and the Governmental and even parliamentary diplomacy between our countries know their ups and downs and that’s normal. But the establishment of personal ties and the linking up of institutions in Belgium and China, is the best way for long lasting, and today we would use the word sustainable, good relations, relations which will proof their value far beyond educational and research ambit. And indeed, as Confucius said, it is better to travel a mile than to read a thousand books. Well it is even better I think to have read many books and then to travel and to read again many books. As will do the representatives of the universities here present and as will do the exchange students which will Dear audience, some three and a halve centuries ago, a Flemish Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest, studied at the Leuven University, after which he traveled to the far away China. Nán Huáirén, as the Chinese called hem, rather soon was appreciated by the imperial court for his wisdom, and on his turn he witnessed in China the high degree of intellectual development there. Verbiest was a man of conviction. But this did not make him blind or insensitive for other opinions or visions. He shows us the road to follow. Our political and social-economic systems may be different, but the science and technology may bring us closer to each other. And this to the mutual benefit od China and our country. Because today, just like in the times of Verbiest, me may have different view on many things, but science, but engineering, has no nationality. When Verbiest advocated successfully a change in the Chinese calendar on the basis of his astronomic findings, he replied to the conservative powers opposing his conclusions “It’s not within my power to change the sky’s, so one should adopt the calendar to the sky’s. It’s exactly the same thing: nature, science do not know of any national or The China Higher Education Fair and Forum today offers an excellent opportunity for students to meet Chinese educational institutions and pursue an exchange between both countries. A project on exchange of students where innovator Group T occupies a prominent position, is also an excellent opportunity to taste the diversity of the two countries and to establish lifelong relations and I hope Ladies and gentlemen, I was told to be brief. Let me therefore conclude that it is a great privilege to welcome in our midst in this beautiful University city of Leuven, the representatives of outstanding scientific and technology institutions of the People’s Republic of China. This event certainly fits in the celebration of 40 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries as it lays the foundations on which to build and strengthen the friendship between our peoples and this is a good start for the

Source: http://www.groupt.be/www/over_groep_t/confucius-institute-leuve/activities/2010-2011/CEEF/eventmedia/DannyPieters.pdf