China is important partner in higher education: Norwegian PM

Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, delivered a speech and answered questions from students and teachers at Peking University on Monday.

In her speech, Solberg said China is an important partner for Norway in higher education and in research cooperation. The two countries have many mutual interests, such as in the environment, agriculture, energy and social sciences, she said.

Norway and China together also have made contributions to scientific development, not only for the two countries, but globally, she added.

Lin Jianhua, president of Peking University, said in his welcome remarks that Norway and China have enjoyed a time-honored history for mutual exchange, in which cultural and education cooperation plays a vital role, since the early years of the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

According to Lin, the two countries signed a cultural and educational exchange agreement in 1963, the first of its kind between China and a Western country. In the 1980s, governmental exchanges and cooperation in science and technology covered a wider range of fields, including agricultural science, marine research, medical treatment and health, climate and environment, energy and environmental protection.

"In the 21st century, we have witnessed scientific cooperation elevated to a new stage," Lin said.

He added that Peking University has also maintained good relations with universities and related organizations of Norway, since a memorandum of understanding encouraging scholar and student exchanges was signed between the university and Oslo University more than two decades ago.

The number of students from Norway at Peking University is still small.

"We are expecting to have more scholars and students from Norway and more PKU students to study in Norway through cooperation and exchange in higher education between the two countries," Lin said.