Xia Jianfeng

How does culture serve as a bridge between China and Kuwait?

As the Director of the China Cultural Center in Kuwait, I see our center as a true bridge between our two nations. Since our trial operations began, we have hosted a range of cultural activities that many Kuwaiti officials and dignitaries attended.

For example, we introduced many Kuwaitis to traditional Chinese medicine, calligraphy, and acupuncture — topics that were already of interest to people in both countries but had not been explored.

We have also had Kuwaiti guests ask for more activities showcasing Chinese Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and other cultural practices. Additionally, we invited performing artists from Shandong Province and other regions of China to showcase traditional arts. These events have been a great way for everyday Kuwaitis to experience Chinese culture firsthand.

The exchange goes both ways: we have also introduced Chinese audiences to Kuwaiti art and culture. We invited a Kuwaiti sculptor renowned for his egg sculptures to China, where he was warmly received, and a Kuwaiti painter whose work was chosen for permanent exhibition in China.

We were also visited by some important Chinese officials who came to see the cultural center. When they returned to China, they talked about what we were doing here and what Kuwaiti people really looked like, among other things, and helped create good publicity about the relationship between China and Kuwait.

These exchanges deepen mutual understanding and respect between our peoples, and they are what we strive for.

Do you see a growing interest to learn Chinese within the Kuwaiti society?

Absolutely. There has always been interest here, and many Kuwaitis were learning Chinese on their own, at home, instead of doing it through formal programs. Before our center opened, they did not have access to standardized Chinese language instruction and that makes a difference.

We recently offered a 15-day course that saw participation from government officials who told us it was very important for them to learn Chinese because they felt Chinese was the language of future and they must keep learning.

Given the demand, we plan to start another course soon, and we expect an even larger turnout, especially from government sectors.

How does the Chinese community and/or companies in Kuwait support the center’s activities?

They support us to an extent. For instance, during major Chinese festivals, we need additional support and rely on volunteers from the Chinese community, given we have limited staff.

We reach out to them for additional support every time we need help in arranging some of the activities at the center.

However, the relationship between the center and Chinese companies is strictly professional, and we do not receive financial support from them.

Our center is backed by an agreement between China and Kuwait, and we operate as a non-profit organization focused on cultural exchange rather than financial gain.

Are your classes free?

I believe if we conducted classes for free, no one would come. For our initial course, we did not charge any fee. But as we began offering courses more regularly, we found that offering classes for free was not sustainable.

That’s why we introduced a modest fee to cover expenses, especially for our instructors.

This approach helped us ensure that the classes are feasible to conduct over the long term and allowed us to provide high-quality instruction. We do not keep any financial gains from the classes and use it all to give back to the teachers/instructors.

Kuwait University recently signed an agreement at the Arab-Chinese Forum to offer Chinese language courses. What are your thoughts on this, and how do you see this partnership evolving?

This initiative is groundbreaking, as it is the first of its kind in the GCC region. The plan is to have a smart classroom where Chinese language classes can be conducted regularly. Either a teacher will come from China to lead the course, or we will send an instructor from the cultural center.

There is a rising enthusiasm around learning Chinese. In fact, when the initial course ended, Kuwait University officials reached out to us stating they were receiving multiple applications for Chinese classes.

Additionally, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature (NCCAL) has suggested we offer more courses, including an advanced course. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, considering we aimed for 10 students when we started, but ended up with 49.

What would you like to add about your future plans for the cultural center?

We welcome anyone who wants to strengthen the ties between China and Kuwait, especially relating to the culture and tourism. Our center is open for seminars, exhibitions, or activities that promote this relationship, and we are always looking to expand and create more meaningful connections.