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At the invitation of the Singapore-China Friendship Association (SCFA), a 13-member friendship delegation of middle school students from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, organized and sent by the Xinjiang Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (XPAFFC), visited Singapore from August 10 to 19.

Exchange Activities. The Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) arranged one and a half day study and exchange activities for the visiting Xinjiang students including flag raising ceremony, class visiting, discussions, touring the classroom buildings, dormitories and the exhibition hall, homework competition, etc. At the flag raising ceremony, the representative of the students made remarks warmly welcoming the delegation. In his speech, Zhang Jiahu, head of the delegation and secretary general of the XPAFFC, expressed his gratitude to the hosts for their thoughtful arrangements and warm reception, saying that he would do all he could to help the HCI to carry out teaching and learning exchanges with Xinjiang. The delegation members were all very interested in the visit and exchange activities at the HCI, where they had a close look at how middle school students studied and lived in Singapore, learned the advanced teaching concepts and experiences of the institution, and experienced the friendly feelings of the teachers and students there towards their counterparts from Xinjiang. The activities created conditions for the two sides to further their friendship and expand exchanges and cooperation.

Visit Universities and Museums. The delegation visited the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University. A faculty member of the NUS made a brief introduction of the university and its recruitment in China as requested by the delegation. Afterwards, the delegation toured the classroom buildings, the administrative building, the culture centre, students dormitories, etc. The delegation also visited the National Museum, the Science Centre and the National Library of Singapore. In the museum, the delegation members learned about the past and present of the country and deeply felt that Singapore is a peace-loving and harmoniously developed country. At the Science Centre they learned about nature, society, biology, aerospace, etc. and operated on various scientific experimental equipment, which further increased their interest in science. At the library, the delegates witnessed the love of reading books of the Singaporeans.

Contact with Society. The SCFA attached great importance to the delegations visit, and President Phua Kok Khoo and other leading members of the SCFA met with and entertained the delegation. The president specially invited the delegation to his home where the hosts talked with the guests in a lighthearted and amicable atmosphere. The delegation members were all deeply touched by the hospitality and friendship of the leadership of the SCFA, and experienced how close and charming that nongovernmental exchanges could become. They also had the opportunity to have direct contacts with warm-hearted and hospitable citizens. The delegation was deeply impressed by the well-educated Singaporeans and their good manners. During the 10-day visit, the teachers and students saw a harmonious and peaceful society, a clean and pleasant environment and happy smiling faces of the people in Singapore.