一座丝路古城 千年文明佳话

丝路Editor's Note: The Communist Party of China will hold its 19th National Congress on Oct 18

古城It was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participate千年What 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 countries

文明She has helped more than 3,000 students from Anhui to study in her country, and more than 1,000 were given job opportunities there佳话"At the peak, I had 21 relatives living here, and there are still 12 of them now," Cho said丝路I was one of the torchbearers for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Hefei in 2008古城Dozens of universities are located here, including the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the country's best," she said千年More policies should also be made to attract more foreign talent to work in China

文明"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佳话How to make the other countries believe a rapidly developing China is not a threat is really a tough issue丝路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 education

古城The two countries must promote cooperation in many areas, but how can cooperation go well if our next generation doesn't understand Chinese?" Cho asked千年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 government文明Cho's reputation is not limited to education, however佳话Before they became major officials, dozens of years should have passed and they should have collected enough experience to tackle seemingly tough problems

In 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 homeIt was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participate

What 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 saidI was one of the torchbearers for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Hefei in 2008

Dozens of universities are located here, including the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the country's best," she saidMore 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 addedHow to make the other countries believe a rapidly developing China is not a threat is really a tough issue

And 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 future

She 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 there

When we were living in a community about 10 kilometers away, we could seldom see the hill from the windowWhat'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 sonsThe 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 futureThe couple found employment quickly at Hefei University and began teaching Korean the next year

The university was the first in the province to have such a courseTravelers had to change flights in Shanghai or Nanjing, Jiangsu province

I 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 development

After about a year in Hefei, Park took a job in the United States and tried to persuade Cho to give up HefeiBefore coming to China as an adult, she worked at Soon Chun Hyang University as a teacher

President Xi puts a lot of emphasis on environmental protectionImpressed 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 saidLetting 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 country

In the urban area of Hefei, there is a hill called Dashu HillWhat'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 18

And 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 said

In recent years, I have received numerous awards from the Chinese governmentI 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 dreamIn 2000, with Cho's help, the Banyang Elementary School - in which she had studied - began teaching Chinese

Cho's brothers and sisters also brought their children to Hefeicn  Cho Sung-hye talks with her students at Hefei University in Anhui province

A remarkable South Korean teacher took up residence in Hefei, Anhui province, at the urging of her young son and never looked backWhat do you think China will be like in five years' time? How do you view China's longer-term future? Chinese people's incomes have increased significantly in recent years and they will become richer in the next five years

He has been trying his best to achieve what he has vowed to doTo better promote the educational exchanges, Cho and her husband founded the Handa Cultural Exchange Co in Hefei in 2006, with Cho as president