On Thursday, April 19 the Confucius Institute at Miami University (CIMU) had the honor of hosting several visiting officials from the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York after they visited the “Terracotta Army: Legacy of the First Emperor of China” exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Our esteemed guests included Ambassador Zhang Qiyue, Cultural Counselor Li Liyan, Consul and Chief of the Political Section Zhou Zhiyong, and Deputy Consul Li Lihua. CIMU was also pleased to welcome Dr. Kate Rousmaniere (Mayor of Oxford, Ohio), Cheryl Young (Assistant Provost of Miami University Global Initiatives), and Karla Guinigundo (Director of Global Partnerships at Miami University), who joined the consulate officials and for tea and discussion.

CIMU staff warmly welcomed the visitors, inviting them to tour the facility and sit down for a cup of hot tea. The conversation started with an introduction to CIMU and its unique contributions to Miami University and local communities. Mayor Rousmaniere noted the importance of Chinese international students at Miami University and Chinese businesses in town. This developed into a discussion of tourism and service industries in the United States and China, which are expected to develop heavily in the coming decades.

As a prevalent example of cooperation between the United States and China, Ambassador Zhang Qiyue brought up the upcoming terracotta warrior exhibit in Cincinnati, a result of collaboration between Chinese Shaanxi Province and the Cincinnati Art Museum. These kinds of initiatives, according to the ambassador, encourage better economic and social relations between our countries.

Ambassador Zhang Qiyue gave a warm speech during the discussion, thanking Director Chen Zhao for inviting the group to visit CIMU: “We are quite impressed with the facilities and the space that this school provides for the Confucius Institute, and I think [CIMU] has worked very well here, creating a win-win for the institute and for the university. I would also like to compliment the global approach of the university.”

It was a tremendous honor for CIMU to host these esteemed officials, and we would like to extend our deepest thanks for their time and effort. The visit provided a fantastic opportunity to build a greater understanding of the various collaborative efforts between the Chinese and American people, which the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China and the Confucius Institute at Miami University strive to build upon each day.