TWO DIPLOMATIC officers from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday received certificates from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD)after completing intensive English courses at the university.

Zhu Zhigang and Zhang Qian recently ended their nine-month Intensive Course in English for Diplomacy and Diplomatic Communication conducted by the university's Language Centre.

The two junior diplomatic officers from China were here on the Brunei-China Human Resource Exchange Programme.

Officiating the ceremony yesterday was Acting Vice-Chancellor of UBD Dr Hj Junaidi Hj Abd Rahman, with Charge d'affaires of China's Embassy in Brunei Wang Wentian witnessing the ceremony.

Dr Hj Junaidi said that the intensive English language programme for Diplomatic officers of China has been running for six years since 2001.

Each year, two diplomatic officers undergo the programme at UBD, and this year's programme saw a total of 14 alumni members.

The previous diplomatic officers who had successfully completed the intensive English course had been entrusted with senior positions at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon their return.

Wang Wentian added that these officers has now become the backbone in their respective departments, with their participation in the programme and consequently, enhanced their communication skills and proficiency in the English language from their time in UBD.

The Language Centre's Intensive Course in English for Diplomacy and Diplomatic Communication was designed to improve junior diplomats' general English proficiency and specialised communicative competence in the diplomatic arena.

The officers took several language and communication modules which were designed with the purpose of enhancing the officers' listening and comprehension skills and their speaking, particularly pronunciation, and seminar presentation skills.

Other modules work at improving their writing skills in many different genres.

Both diplomats also underwent other courses in UBD such as International Relations, Public Policy, Human Geography and Far East Asia study.(NFA)The Brunei Times