Your Excellency Ms. Sameera Zoubi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship,

Your Excellency Mr. Mamoun M. Al-Debi’e, Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research,

Hon. Dr. Saeb Khreisat, President of Jordan University of Science and Technology,

Mr. Wang Jian, CEO of Huawei Jordan and Lebanon,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning!

It is a great pleasure for me to join you today at the signing ceremony. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Jordan, I would like to congratulate Jordan University of Science and Technology and Huawei for your collaborative venture of strategic importance. I also wish to express my appreciation to the Ministries and friends for your valuable support to the project.

2020 has been a difficult year unseen in our lifetime. COVID-19 posed an unprecedented threat to the world and devastated economies and industries.

Confronting the pandemic, the Chinese Government acted swiftly and decisively to stop the spread of the virus while preserving economic and social development. As a result, China has basically managed to put the pandemic under control within its borders and became the only major economy to accomplish positive growth last year.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. In fighting the pandemic, China and Jordan have supported and helped each other, adding value to our strategic partnership.

Dear friends,

ICT plays an important role as we live in the information age. ICT brings many advantages to economic and social development and can improve the quality of life. In fact, ICT has an impact on almost every aspect of our lives – from work to socializing, from learning to play. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, ICT has become more indispensable for productivity, public health and is vital for people to stay connected with our loved ones when lockdowns have become so common across communities and national borders.

As ICT has enjoyed fast growth in China in recent years, we are mindful of the digital gap the developing world faces and is committed to helping to narrow the gap. China has implemented assistance projects for developing countries, supporting their ICT industries, thus creating jobs, providing better education and reducing poverty. We also encourage Chinese ICT companies to invest and collaborate with partners around the world.

Jordan is a leader in ICT infrastructure and services in the MENA region. The ICT sector is one of the main pillars of the Jordanian economy. With the Jordan Digital Transformation Strategy 2020 and REACH 2025, Jordan will harness greater economic competitiveness and resilience.

Huawei is a global technology leader and has been a dedicated corporate citizen in Jordan for almost two decades. Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) is among the finest educational institutions in science and technology. The Huawei ICT Academy is a partnership of strengths. The Academy will train local ICT talents, provide an enabler for digital transformation and better prepare Jordan for socio-economic development in the post COVID-19 era. It is an investment for the future.

The launch of “JUST & Huawei” ICT Academy is another good example of productive cooperation between China and Jordan. I am convinced that with an open, transparent and fair business environment in Jordan, we will have even more mutually beneficial cooperation in the ICT industry and beyond.

In conclusion, I wish the project a complete success.

Thank you.