白山市長：時代給我們留了難題

白山The confederation aims to build a bridge between China and Benin, with the help of the Belt and Road Initiative

市長In 2010, she was listed as one of the most influential women of the century in Hefei時代們留題Editor's Note: The Communist Party of China will hold its 19th National Congress on Oct 18

白山More policies should also be made to attract more foreign talent to work in China市長It was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participate時代們留題"Now I often accompany Hefei officials to South Korea for business recruitment and students for educational exchanges," Cho said白山"Nowadays, flights connecting Hefei with Incheon in South Korea are available five days a week, and the situation is improving市長Dozens of universities are located here, including the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the country's best," she said

時代們留題Before they became major officials, dozens of years should have passed and they should have collected enough experience to tackle seemingly tough problems白山In 1998, when she was back in her hometown, Cho delivered a three-hour speech to 82 heads of primary schools, trying to persuade them to offer Chinese courses市長We didn't expect that we would come to love the country as much as we do," said Cho, who speaks fluent Mandarin

時代們留題Over the last 21 years, South Korean teacher Cho Sung-hye has contributed much to the friendship between the people of her country and China白山"China is developing very fast and will play more important roles in the world市長The improvement of the people's confidence itself is one of the biggest achievements時代們留題"Nowadays, flights connecting Hefei with Incheon in South Korea are available five days a week, and the situation is improving

A teacher of Korean at Hefei University in Anhui province, Cho has helped to boost the two countries' ties in multiple aspects - not just in educationThe two countries must promote cooperation in many areas, but how can cooperation go well if our next generation doesn't understand Chinese?" Cho asked

In 2002, she became the first person from her country to receive China's Friendship Award, the highest honor given to foreigners by the central governmentCho's reputation is not limited to education, howeverBefore they became major officials, dozens of years should have passed and they should have collected enough experience to tackle seemingly tough problemsIn the runup to the meeting, China Daily asked a prominent South Korean teacher to talk about her experiences in promoting educational improvements, business cooperation and people-to-people understanding in her native country and her adopted home

It was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participateWhat are your expectations for the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China? What are the key issues you care about most? I think China loves peace more than some of the developed countriesShe has helped more than 3,000 students from Anhui to study in her country, and more than 1,000 were given job opportunities there"At the peak, I had 21 relatives living here, and there are still 12 of them now," Cho said

I was one of the torchbearers for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Hefei in 2008Dozens of universities are located here, including the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the country's best," she said

More policies should also be made to attract more foreign talent to work in China"There were even South Korean businessmen who intended to invest in Hefei but decided to invest in Shanghai and Nanjing instead, as they found the two cities to be more developed," she added

How to make the other countries believe a rapidly developing China is not a threat is really a tough issueAnd she has brought even more students from South Korea to China"In the past 21 years, I have witnessed great development achievements in China, and I believe the five years to come after the pending 19th CPC National Congress will bring the country a more prosperous futureShe also serves as an economic counselor for the Hefei Economic and Technological Development Area, where Hefei University is based, and the Hefei High-Tech Industry Development ZoneThe younger one attended Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and earned bachelor's and master's degrees thereWhen we were living in a community about 10 kilometers away, we could seldom see the hill from the window

What's the most memorable experience you've had in China, or related to China? Unforgettable experiences in China are manyWithin a year, she moved to the city with her husband, Park Nam-gyu, and her sons

The latest example was a 2016 donation of 20,000 yuan ($3,000) to four high school graduates in Hefei's Feidong county who had been enrolled at universities but were about to give up for lack of moneyI hope it can play a more important role in world peace in the future

The couple found employment quickly at Hefei University and began teaching Korean the next yearThe university was the first in the province to have such a course

Travelers had to change flights in Shanghai or Nanjing, Jiangsu provinceI don't believe the Western countries' political practices could work in China, though many of them are considered successful by the Westerners themselvesOne of the results is that the Chinese people are more confident than ever about their country's developmentAfter about a year in Hefei, Park took a job in the United States and tried to persuade Cho to give up Hefei

Before coming to China as an adult, she worked at Soon Chun Hyang University as a teacherPresident Xi puts a lot of emphasis on environmental protection

Impressed by how the history teacher had influenced her son, Cho has encouraged Chinese students to go to South Korea"When the eldest of my two sons was in the third year of middle school, his history teacher, who had some experience in China, suggested the students go to live there and have a close look at the old country," Cho said

Letting them work here can make better use of their contribution, and also working in a country can give the foreigners more opportunities to develop a more profound understanding of the countryIn the urban area of Hefei, there is a hill called Dashu Hill

What's the biggest challenge China faces, and how do you think the country should go about overcoming it? The biggest challenge could come from the changes"Nowadays all the primary schools in my country have made Chinese-language courses available to students," said Cho, who was believed by some local media to have given the strongest push to the achievementEditor's Note: The Communist Party of China will hold its 19th National Congress on Oct 18And she was the first South Korean citizen to gain permanent residency in China in 2006

"Now I often accompany Hefei officials to South Korea for business recruitment and students for educational exchanges," Cho saidIn recent years, I have received numerous awards from the Chinese government

I believe that in the coming five years, the gap between coastal and inland regions will be narrowed"My husband and I came to China - to Hefei - to fulfill my elder son's dream

In 2000, with Cho's help, the Banyang Elementary School - in which she had studied - began teaching ChineseCho's brothers and sisters also brought their children to Hefei