Peer de Rijke, managing director of Evocoatings Company, visits Nantong Vocational University on Dec 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Nantong Vocational University in Jiangsu province recently welcomed delegations from the Netherlands and Germany, who came to in search of cooperation and exchange opportunities.

Peer de Rijke, managing director of Evocoatings Company in the Netherlands, visited the university alongside Zhang Shenxin, a distinguished alumnus of NTVU on Dec 1.

Zhang is a descendant of Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a celebrated patriot, industrial magnate, educator, and philanthropist from Nantong. Peer de Rijke's great-granduncle, Hendrik de Rijke, was invited by Zhang Jian in 1916 to assist with water management in Nantong, laying foundation for the current relationship between Nantong and the Netherlands.

In his address, Peer de Rijke emphasized the enduring connections between his family and Nantong, expressing a strong desire to foster Sino-Dutch collaboration across multiple sectors. He highlighted his ambition to utilize his resources to establish a cooperative bridge between Nantong institutions and the Netherlands in areas such as sports, education, innovation, culture, and trade.

Felix Kurtz, vice-president of the German-Chinese Friendship Association Federation, visits Nantong Vocational University on Nov 13. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Earlier, on Nov 13, Felix Kurtz, vice-president of the German-Chinese Friendship Association Federation, led a delegation to NTVU. The visit facilitated in-depth discussions centered on international youth exchanges.

Kurtz commended NTVU for its exemplary university management practices. He expressed his vision of using soccer to deepen exchanges between German and Nantong youth, with the hope that German students will visit Nantong and that Nantong youth will be welcomed in Germany. This initiative aims to ensure that Sino-German friendship continues to flourish across generations on the soccer field.