Chinese Minister of Education Visits UC to Deepen Academic Cooperation
The visit of Minister Huai Jinpeng marks a new milestone in Chile–China collaboration, with a focus on artificial intelligence and talent development.
photo_camera Discussions explored how emerging technologies can foster talent, generate knowledge, advance research, and promote academic initiatives with tangible social impact. Photo: Office of Media and Publications
On Friday, August 29, the Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Huai Jinpeng, paid an official visit to the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), where he met with President Juan Carlos de la Llera. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen academic, scientific, and technological cooperation between the two nations.
This was the first visit by a Chinese minister to Chile since President Gabriel Boric’s state mission to China in May, and one of the most significant developments in higher education relations in recent years.
During the meeting, discussions centered on education, teaching, artificial intelligence, and public engagement. The dialogue emphasized leveraging new technologies to cultivate talent, expand knowledge, advance research, and foster academic initiatives with measurable social impact.
President Juan Carlos de la Llera underscored the importance of the occasion: “Welcoming China’s Minister of Education, Mr. Huai Jinpeng, to our Casa Central is an honor that reflects the commitment of both countries to academic, scientific, and technological cooperation. This visit reaffirms UC Chile’s role as a bridge between cultures and as a driver of innovation for the common good. We had the opportunity to discuss education, artificial intelligence, and talent development—areas where knowledge exchange and collaboration are vital to addressing global challenges and advancing our societies.”
UC Chile also highlighted the steady expansion of its academic ties with China. To date, the university has signed more than 22 agreements with Chinese institutions, welcomed over 100 students from China since 2005, and sent 41 UC Chile students on exchanges to China.
In this context, Vice President for International Affairs María Montt emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: “China today plays a key role on the global stage and is a key partner for Chile, particularly in the economic sphere. Strengthening academic cooperation not only enriches the global education of our community but also reinforces our commitment to serve Chile with excellence and openness to the world.”
This visit is part of a broader agenda of bilateral cooperation in education and culture, framed within the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Chile in 2016.
