Recently, Deena Manour, Director of the Mansfield Center in Montana, USA, led a three-person delegation on a visit to Guangxi University (GXU). They were joined by Luo Chunjian, Deputy Director of the Department for North American and Oceanian Affairs at the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, and Lai Huifeng, Deputy Director of Guangxi Autonomous Region’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The guests were received by Xiao Jianzhuang, Vice President and member of the GXU Party Standing Committee.

At the meeting, Xiao Jianzhuang extended a warm welcome to the Mansfield Center delegation and shared updates on GXU’s development, research achievements, and ongoing collaborations with U.S. universities. He highlighted the fruitful cooperation between Guangxi and Montana since their partnership began in 1999, covering various sectors. GXU is eager to capitalize on the unique regional and academic strengths of both institutions, collaborating with the University of Montana in fields such as sustainable development, resource management, environmental conservation, and ethnic studies. The university also plans to invite American students to join Chinese language and cultural camps, and to host distinguished professors from the University of Montana for lectures. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of this partnership, GXU intends to visit the University of Montana to sign a new cooperation memorandum, further enhancing university ties and contributing to the growth of China-U.S. relations.

Deena Mansour provided an overview of the historic interactions between Guangxi and Montana and discussed the development of the Mansfield Center. She expressed the University of Montana’s interest in developing new collaborative approaches with Guangxi University in faculty and student exchanges, as well as in research, aiming to deepen reciprocal benefits. She is keen on having students from the University of Montana join the summer camp at Guangxi University and on initiating partnerships in areas like natural resources, environmental protection, climate change, and language studies. Ms. Mansour also offered to facilitate connections with other Montana universities for potential collaborations with Guangxi University.

Deena Mansour and her team toured the large-scale structural testing facility in the School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and learned about GXU's leading academic programs. They also visited GXU’s affiliated school to explore potential student exchange programs and other interactive activities between Chinese and American middle and high school students.