Thirty-eight young sinologists from 34 countries and regions gathered in Beijing for a government-sponsored exchange program to discuss their research on China on Friday.

Led by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and organized by the China International Cultural Communication Center and Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), the annual Visiting Program for Young Sinologists provides three weeks of lectures, seminars and field trips to sinologists from around the world in order to enhance their understanding of the country.

Kicking off with an opening ceremony in Beijing, this year's session will include study programs held at several universities in Beijing including BLCU and Peking University as well as a field trip to Southwest China's Guizhou Province where the young researchers will get a chance to observe local ethnic culture as well as the development of modern technology in the region.

As a rising power in Chinese studies, young sinologists serve as an important bridge for communication between China and other countries and regions, said Zhu Qi, deputy head of the Liaison Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, at the event.

Five sinologist representatives also shared their stories about China and Chinese learning at the event.

"I am now a PhD student at BLCU studying China's dragon culture. I really hope my studies can help more people better understand Chinese culture," Despotovic Jelena, a researcher from Serbia who is also the Secretary of the Confucius Institute of Belgrade, said at the event.

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