Renmin University of China (RUC) Suzhou Campus, which was founded in SIP in 2003, held an orientation ceremony on Sept 13 to welcome 508 new domestic and overseas students who will begin their studies at its China-France School, Silk Road School and International School.

It is noteworthy that among the students are 78 postgraduates in the Silk Road School from China and 37 other countries and regions along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road which, under the country's Belt and Road Initiative, run through the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa to connect the East Asian and European economic circles for win-win cooperation. The Silk Road School was inaugurated in May to offer a two-year full-time master program for students from these places.

"I appreciate the chance very much. I hope that I can use what I will learn here to do something for my country and help tighten the ties between the two countries," said Gabriel Himie Neufville Jr, a first-year graduate student from Liberia who worked in a Chinese company in his country before he came to the school.