During his participation in the Chinese New Year celebration at USJ President of the Lebanese Chinese Business Association Ali Mahmoud El Abdallah : China maintains historic relations with Lebanon and the region.

During his participation in the Chinese New Year celebration at USJ
President of the Lebanese Chinese Business Association
Ali Mahmoud El Abdallah :
China maintains historic relations with Lebanon and the region

Beirut, February 17, 2026 — The President of the Lebanese Chinese Business Association, Ali Mahmoud El Abdallah, participated in the Chinese New Year celebration at the invitation of the Chinese Embassy and the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University. The event was attended by a large number of prominent figures, including the President of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Jesuit Professor François Boadac, the Chinese Ambassador In Lebanon Chen Chuandong, the Director of the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University Dr. Nesrine Lattouf, and the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at Saint Joseph University Dr. Fouad Zmokhol, in addition to many academics, public figures, and media representatives. During the celebration, speeches were delivered by Ambassador Chuandong, Professor François Boadac, and Dr. Lattouf.

El Abdallah stated:
“I extend my congratulations to China on the occasion of the Chinese New Year. This is an important milestone during which we reaffirm the strength and importance of Lebanese-Chinese relations. Lebanon’s relations with China have witnessed significant development in recent years. China has proven itself to be a friendly nation to Lebanon, standing alongside it in international forums and supporting issues that matter to the Lebanese people. Indeed, China is Lebanon’s friend across the world.”

He added:
“Our relations with China are flourishing and strong. China consistently reaffirms the depth of bilateral relations and its commitment to developing them further. We look forward to strengthening Lebanese-Chinese relations even more.”

El Abdallah further stated:
“China is a global power open to transparent relations with all nations and is a historic partner of Lebanon and the region. It adopts an approach based on openness and pursues a foreign policy grounded in balance and development. China plays an active role in maintaining global peace and strengthening international relations. It supports Lebanese and Arab causes, as well as just causes worldwide. It is essential that we engage positively with Chinese initiatives and projects around the world.”

Chinese New Year is considered one of the most important Chinese holidays, with celebrations dating back more than 4,000 years. This year marks the Year of the Horse, which is the seventh sign in the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes vitality and endless energy. More than one billion people celebrate Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, making it one of the largest celebrations in the world, observed by one-sixth of the global population.

During the event, participants discussed several topics, most notably the growth of cultural relations between Lebanon and China, the increasing interest in learning the Chinese language in Lebanon, and the rising number of students enrolled at the Confucius Institute at Saint Joseph University. Participants also emphasized the importance of recent developments in bilateral relations and the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

It is worth noting that the Confucius Institute at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik has made positive contributions to strengthening people-to-people exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding between the Lebanese and Chinese peoples, as well as reinforcing bilateral relations between China and Lebanon. The Institute’s activities cover various areas, including education, language instruction, academic exchange, cultural exchange, and diverse cultural projects.