漢治Now, besides his art career, he also serves as a representative for the National Confederation of Employers of Benin

漢治I became the first South Korean person to receive the Chinese Central Government's Friendship Award in 2002 and the first from my country to get permanent residency in China in 2006漢治We didn't expect that we would come to love the country as much as we do," said Cho, who speaks fluent Mandarin

漢治Some of China's practices are also worth learning, such as how it trains its officials漢治" What do you feel has been China's biggest achievement over the past five years? What's the most notable change you've observed? China has achieved much in many aspects over the last five years漢治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漢治A remarkable South Korean teacher took up residence in Hefei, Anhui province, at the urging of her young son and never looked back漢治"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 achievement

漢治It was the first primary school in the country to do so漢治"At the peak, I had 21 relatives living here, and there are still 12 of them now," Cho said漢治[Photo/Agencies]MANILA - China and the Philippines have fully affirmed the positive results achieved so far in their anti-drug cooperation, vowing to further strengthen their cooperation in this regard in the future

漢治The comments and pledge came as officials from the two countries met here recently on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crimes漢治The Chinese and Pakistani air forces have cooperated in planning and implementing strategies, as well as learning operational concepts and tactics from each other through sitting in the same fighter during the ongoing joint drills named "Shaheen VI" from Sept 7 to 27漢治Chinese and Pakistani air force personnel sit in a Pakistani fighter after a joint drill in China, Sept 14, 2017漢治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 country

In the urban area of Hefei, there is a hill called Dashu HillI think China should attract even more foreigners, because from my own experience, having a look at the real China, not just the view from overseas, makes a big difference

"China is developing very fast and will play more important roles in the worldThe 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 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 futureAlso, Xi has been very good at choosing the right people to work with him

I was one of the torchbearers for the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Hefei in 2008Impressed by how the history teacher had influenced her son, Cho has encouraged Chinese students to go to South KoreaTravelers had to change flights in Shanghai or Nanjing, Jiangsu provinceThe university was the first in the province to have such a course

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 Zone"My husband and I came to China - to Hefei - to fulfill my elder son's dream

How to make the other countries believe a rapidly developing China is not a threat is really a tough issueWithin a year, she moved to the city with her husband, Park Nam-gyu, and her sons

I hope it can play a more important role in world peace in the future"In the early years, transportation between Hefei and South Korea was not convenientIn 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"He wanted to go to the inland provinces, and he had some knowledge of Anhui, so he chose Hefei as his destination," Cho saidHalf a year later, Park returned to Hefei University and has been there ever sinceSome of the South Korean companies based in the two zones, the largest in the province, were attracted through Cho's efforts

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 homeAnd she was the first South Korean citizen to gain permanent residency in China in 2006

The boy - a great fan of Chinese history who was able to give the names of more than 900 figures in the Chinese classic Romance of Three Kingdoms - was inspired and wanted very much to follow the suggestionPresident Xi puts a lot of emphasis on environmental protection

What's the most memorable experience you've had in China, or related to China? Unforgettable experiences in China are manyIt also extends to boosting Sino-South Korean economic ties and helping the province's poverty-stricken areas

Cho's reputation is not limited to education, howeverWhen we were living in a community about 10 kilometers away, we could seldom see the hill from the windowWhat'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 changesThe improvement of the people's confidence itself is one of the biggest achievements

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

More policies should also be made to attract more foreign talent to work in ChinaIt was unforgettable because my family watched the relay in South Korea in 1988 but didn't get the chance to participate

"Now I often accompany Hefei officials to South Korea for business recruitment and students for educational exchanges," Cho said"Nowadays, flights connecting Hefei with Incheon in South Korea are available five days a week, and the situation is improving

Dozens of universities are located here, including the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the country's best," she saidBefore they became major officials, dozens of years should have passed and they should have collected enough experience to tackle seemingly tough problemsIn 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 coursesA 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

The couple found employment quickly at Hefei University and began teaching Korean the next yearcn  Cho Sung-hye talks with her students at Hefei University in Anhui province

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 moneyWhat is your impression of President Xi Jinping? I think he is a determined man

After finishing middle school and high school studies in the city, Cho's elder son was admitted to Peking University for undergraduate studies, and then returned to Hefei later for his MBA at the University of Science and Technology of ChinaShe has played a prominent role in education, business development and friendship