On the morning of 11 December 2017, Most Venerable Sik Kwang Sheng, Rector of the Buddhist College of Singapore (BCS), together with Venerable Chuan Xiong, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Venerable Chuan Deng, Head of Administration, visited the Buddhist Association of China (BAC) in Beijing. They were warmly received by Most Venerable Shi Xue Cheng, President of BAC, Vice President Venerable Zong Xing, Secretary General Mr. Liu Wei, Vice Secretary General Venerable Hong Du, and Venerable Pu Zheng.
During the visit, both parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Dispatching of Student Monks for Overseas Study. To show his support of Buddhist education in China, Most Venerable Kwang Sheng, on behalf of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery and BCS, pledged 300,000 Chinese Yuan to the Buddhist Academy of China’s new campus building fund. Most Venerable Xue Cheng thanked BCS on behalf of the BAC and the Buddhist Academy of China for its support, and emphasized that the Buddhist communities in both countries have long developed a warm and cooperative relationship resulting in a deep dharmic bond. Most Venerable Kwang Sheng also reiterated that BCS will continue to optimize its advantages in locality and language, strengthen the interactions with Buddhist colleges in China, continue to groom monks to propagate dharma internationally, and contribute to the globalization of Chinese Buddhism.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited the State Administration for Religious Affairs of P.R.C. (SARA) and were warmly received by Vice Minister Mr. Jiang Jianyong, Deputy Director of the 4th Department Mr. Kuang Sheng, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Mr. Xue Shuqi and other officials. During the meeting, Mr. Jiang Jianyong expressed that SARA would continue to support the close interaction and collaboration between the Buddhist communities in China and Singapore, and actively assist BCS to conduct the 2018 recruitment of students. Venerable Kwang Sheng thanked the SARA for its tremendous support throughout the years and looked forward to more interaction and collaboration.
