The exchange of ideas requires both a willingness to learn and an opportunity to connect, which is exactly what the U of A’s newest centre, the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Centre of Canada, will be working towards.
The centre, which is named after Honorary Degree recipient and Hong Kong businessman Jonathan Choi (’15, LLD), will help connect our China Institute to a growing network of cultural centers in Vietnam, France, and Japan.
While he was here for the centre’s opening, we sat down with Jonathan Choi to talk about education, cultural exchange, and the international career that has inspired his own desire to create opportunities for cultural understanding and exchange.
You’re a long-time supporter of education both in China and abroad. Why has education been such an important focus for you?
In 1975, during the Cultural Revolution, I can remember that China was not in good shape at that time. My village, they were poor — no school, no factory… nothing. What we needed was education — education to train people, not only academically, but also to train their will. When you have education, you have self-confidence. You have a way to build business. Education is very important for our country — we support education to bring up the whole people in China.
If the new Choi Cultural Centre of Canada could have only one outcome or impact, what would you want it to be?
To build better understanding, exchange, and collaboration between China and Canada.
We build our cultural centres in different parts of the world so that we have mutual understanding. Exchange is important — exchange, understanding, and mutual respect. That’s what I’m looking for.
How did you settle on the U of A as the home for the Choi Cultural Centre of Canada?
In 50 years, I had never been to Edmonton — only Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto for business. But three years ago the University of Alberta conferred me with an honorary doctorate degree, and it was my first time here. It’s a great university, and we just felt that we needed to do something here. That’s why the first cultural centre in Canada is at UAlberta.
How have international experiences shaped your career?
Hong Kong is an international city — formerly, it was a British colony. Hong Kong is a place where East meets West. We were trained by the British, and I studied in Japan. My father, in 1967, he was already coming to Canada. My father, myself, my son — we understand Canada very well. For the past 51 years we’ve had investments across Canada. At the same time, we had investments in the U.S., and also in Australia. We’ve been in this part of the world for many, many years. We’re very international.
What has been your most memorable moment of cultural connection?
I think the most successful one was in Vietnam. You see: the relationship between Vietnam and China is very sensitive. We built the Sunwah Chinese Language Training Centre first, and later on the Prime Minister agreed to let us build the Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Centre at Vietnam National University, Hanoi. It wasn’t easy… but it’s been so successful that the Vietnamese Prime Minister wanted me to build another one in Ho Chi Minh City, and it’s under construction.
If you could give U of A students one piece of advice, what would it be?
Understand what’s happening in the whole world — including China.
Canada's links with Asia have been given a boost thanks to a 10-year investment in the University of Alberta's China…www.ualberta.caCanada's links with Asia have been given a boost thanks to a 10-year investment in the University of Alberta's China…www.ualberta.ca..
The Jonathan KS Choi Cultural Centre of Canada, housed at the university’s China Institute, will provide space for students, researchers, business leaders and policy-makers to meet and collaborate — physically and virtually.