(11 January 2018)

Invited by the President of China H.E. Xi Jinping, President of France H.E. Emmanuel Macron had the official visit to China in January 2018. President Macron is also the first national leader to visit China in 2018.

On 9^th January, President Macron had a meeting with Dr Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Sunwah Group, and other Chinese entrepreneurs in Beijing. President Macron highly affirmed the diplomatic relation between China and France and shared that France will cooperate with China on promoting the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. He also expressed his hope that there will be more Chinese enterprises investing in France as well as expand cooperation in fields such as Information Technology, Human Resource and Commerce. At the meeting, Dr Jonathan Choi presented the famous Chinese classic “Tao Te Ching” written in French to President Macron to help him gain better understanding of Chinese culture and traditional philosophy as well as promote cultural – economic cooperation between the China and France.

Dr Jonathan Choi (second from right) presented the famous Chinese classic “Tao Te Ching” written in French to President of France H.E. Emmanuel Macron (third from right)

The year 2018 is the 54ᵗʰ anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China. On this occasion, under Dr Choi’s leadership, Sunwah Foundation and Sunwah Group cooperated with French culture and art associations in organizing a series of activities in both China and France such as French Film Festival and French Art Exhibition in Shenyang Museum and Beijing Museum in January to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange between France and China. President Macron expressed his sincere appreciation to the contribution of Dr Jonathan Choi and Sunwah Group and requested the French Ministry of Culture actively promote cooperation between the two countries.

In recent years, Dr Jonathan Choi has been tirelessly contributed to the promotion of cultural exchange between China and France. In 2014, invited by the then President of France H.E. Francois Hollande, the Jonathan KS Choi Foundation made many donations to the National Superior School for Fine Arts in France, one of the four largest art academies in the world, and established the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Center of Paris at the School with the aim of introducing Chinese culture and art to the French public. Additionally, Dr Jonathan Choi and the National Superior School for Fine Arts jointly organized a touring exhibition of approximately 130 pieces of art from the National Superior School for Fine Arts and the National Centre of Visual Arts which took place at the National Museum in Beijing and then in Kunming (Yunnan province, China) in November and December 2017 respectively.

Dr Jonathan Choi in front of the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Centre of Paris

In 2016, the then President of France H.E. Francois Hollande (left) met with Dr Jonathan Choi at Versailles Castle, highly appreciated Dr Choi’s contribution to the promotion of cultural and educational exchange between China and France

Furthermore, Dr Jonathan Choi also established French Cultural Centers at big cities in China such as Nanjing, Shenyang and Guangzhou as well as organized French language courses, cuisine and art exchange programs to introduce French culture to Chinese people.

The friendship between Yunnan province and France started in 18^th century when the French brought coffee and built railroad for the people here. In 2017, thanks to the investment and support of Dr Jonathan Choi and Sunwah Group in Yunnan, the famous Yunnan Puer tea was able to enter the French culinary culture, particularly at Paris. Moreover, the traditionally unique dance of the ethnic minority in Yunnan had the opportunity to be performed in France and received positive response from the French public.

In February 2017, the French Government awarded the honorary medal Officer of Order of Arts and Letters to Dr Jonathan Choi for Dr Choi and Sunwah Group’s significant contribution to the promotion and exchange of culture and education between China and France. This medal is awarded by the French Ministry of Culture to individuals who have outstanding achievements in promoting national art and culture.

Dr Jonathan Choi was conferred Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by H.E. Jack Lang, Special Envoy of the President of France

Over the past decades, Sunwah Group has dedicated itself to the enhancing of education and scientific research in China and around the world. Sunwah has made donations to the Michigan State University and the Beijing Normal University to establish two research centers and design teaching management models with the advantages of the two countries. The 3e International School was founded in Beijing in 2005 to put these models into practice. Based on this successful experience, in 2016, the 3e International School signed a partnership agreement with the French International School in Beijing, in which the French government invested around USD 100 million, for co-operation in Chinese, English and French language courses to build a foundation for the friendship between China and France.

Dr Jonathan Choi and the French Foreign Ministry Mr Jean-Marc Herault (first from left) attended the Ceremony of Signing Cooperative Agreement with the French International School in Beijing

Translated from: Qianlong News