A leading Chinese official met local dignitaries when he made a visit to County Durham today (March 17).
Consul General Li Yongsheng, the tenth Chinese Consul General in Manchester, met Durham County Council’s chairman, Cllr John Robinson, and leader, Cllr Simon Henig at County Hall.
He had asked to meet the leadership of the county council to learn about the area and explore what he can do to help promote relations between County Durham and China.
And to mark the occasion he was presented with a figurine of Durham Cathedral, made from coal.
Cllr Robinson said: “We were very pleased to welcome Mr Li to County Durham. The discussion was very interesting and he offered to work with us to help promote the county as an educational and tourist destination.”
Mandarin is becoming a popular language taught in County Durham schools. It is mandatory for one term in Year 7 at Durham Johnston School, after which pupils can choose it as a foreign language option. It also taught at Park View School, Chester-le-Street, and St Bede’s School, Lanchester.
The Durham Chinese School, which was established in 2002 by the Chinese Association of the North East Region, also offers Mandarin classes for children from four years of age through to adults.
Consul General Li began his foreign affairs career in 1978 from the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Anhui Province of China, where he worked until 2009 as its Director General with several overseas postings in Rwanda, Mali and the USA.
Prior to his current position, Mr Li had been a Minister-Counsellor of the Chinese Mission to the European Union from 2010 till September 2014.
