ABUJA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Participants at a Chinese speech contest in Abuja on Tuesday held the audience spellbound as they displayed their proficiency in the language.
The event, which had Nigerian government officials in attendance, was part of this year's graduation ceremony held for Chinese language students by the China Cultural Center in Nigeria's capital city.
The competition was open to all graduands, including participants of other nationalities who took part in the training at the China Cultural Center. Six winners from two categories emerged after the speech contest.
Other side attractions, all rendered in Chinese language, including drama and music performances
spiced up the event.
In his opening remark, Yan Xiangdong, Chinese cultural counselor to Nigeria who was also director of the center, commended the graduands for respectively taking various levels of Chinese language training to determine their proficiency.
"I must say here that your decision to learn and acquire Chinese language is not only timely but also a step in the right direction toward attaining global heights just as the Chinese economy has attained global recognition," he said, urging the graduating students to continue to develop on the various levels attained.
In an interview, You Baoming, a deputy director at the center, told Xinhua the Chinese speech contest was first introduced last year not to identify the best among the participants but rather targeted at identifying areas where the graduating students will need to pay more attention in the language training. Enditem
TEHRAN, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's diplomatic campaign to improve relations with the world is gaining momentum after an interim deal broke the decade-long deadlock on its nuclear issue.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's ongoing visit to Tehran is aimed to create new dynamic relations between the two neighbors. Iranian and Iraqi nations can build even closer relations if the current meetings in Tehran result in dealing with the conflicts in Syria and the oil production shares within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), analysts said.
Congratulating on the recent nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi visited Iran last week http://www.teamtitansshop.com/women-johnathan-cyprien-jersey/ , each seeking to improve or strengthen ties with the Iranian moderate government. Iran and P5+1, the United States, Britain, France http://www.teamtitansshop.com/women-jeremiah-poutasi-jersey/ , Russia, China plus Germany, struck a deal in Geneva on November 24, in which Iran agreed to freeze part of its nuclear program in exchange for limited ease of sanctions.
In addition to regional diplomacy http://www.teamtitansshop.com/women-jayon-brown-jersey/ , the upcoming visit of Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi will further open the door for Iran's interaction with major world powers.
Iran has pledged to improve relations with the world. In his inauguration speech, Iranian President Rouhani said he would have "constructive interaction" with the world.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed-Javad Zarif spent his time in the past days visiting the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in an attempt to ease tensions with Gulf Arab states.
At the end of his tour to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar, Zarif said Tuesday that there were interests in the visited Arab countries to improve ties with Iran, adding the improved ties "will benefit peace and stability in the region."
On Wednesday http://www.teamtitansshop.com/women-jack-conklin-jersey/ , Zarif also met with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum in the United Arab Emirates and invited Emirates' President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan to visit Tehran.
Iran's ties with Kuwait became sore after the oil-rich Arab state charged several Iranian and locals for spying for the Islamic republic in the past years. Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting "terrorists" in Syria. Saudi Arabia on the other hand is wary of Iran's efforts to promote Shiite Islam in the region. Both Iran and the UAE have a long-standing dispute over the ownership of three Persian Gulf islands controlled by Iran.
Despite disputes with Iran, the Persian Gulf states have cautiously welcomed the deal between Iran and the world powers. For its part, the Saudi government said the deal could be a first step toward a comprehensive solution, "provided that there is goodwill."
In addition to mending ties with Persian Gulf states, Iran is working to further cement relations with its neighbors and allies in the region. In the two weeks following the Geneva deal, Iranian President Rouhani has already met with Syrian prime minister and Turkish foreign minister in Tehran on bilateral ties and the Syrian crisis.
Also, Rouhani met with Iraqi prime minister on Thursday and called Iran-Iraq relations strategic http://www.teamtitansshop.com/women-erik-walden-jersey/ , urging for expansion of ties in all fields. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also told Maliki there was no limit for promotion of ties between the two countries.
Iran and Iraq are so close that countries in good terms with Iran will have better access to Iraq. Those who have trouble with Iran will also have trouble gaining access to Iraq, said Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a research fellow at the Institute of North American and European Studies of Tehran University.