In 2017, a total of 18,800 overseas students came to Yunnan to study. Students from South and Southeast Asian countries made up the highest proportion.

"To strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries, personnel training is important," Fang said.

Founded in 2017, the School of South Asia in YMU aims to serve enterprises and diplomatic institutes between China and South Asian countries.

It has 135 students who, besides language skills, also study subjects such as law, international trade and economics, as well as international politics.

"We want our students to become well-rounded rather than just a translator. In this way they can play bigger roles in the Belt and Road Initiative," she said.

"It's my responsibility to promote Tamil," said Zhang Qi, Tamil language teacher at YMU.

Zhang worked at a radio station for two years before pursing her master's degree in Hong Kong. She had been working in Hong Kong for three years when she heard about YMU's recruitment process.

"I was impressed by the hardworking students, brand new campus and professional colleagues here, so I left Hong Kong and joined YMU," Zhang said.

Yunnan is expected to become an important bridge connecting South and Southeast Asia due partly to its proximity to these areas. In 2013, the province established an advisory committee on the language teaching to further the training of talent.

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