[Explanation] Manitoba is one of the prairie provinces in central Canada.

Its capital, Winnipeg, is the sixth-largest city in the country by 2021 population.

Statistics show that among the population of about 1.38 million in Manitoba, there are only about 30,000 overseas Chinese.

But anyone who has visited Winnipeg's Chinatown has been impressed by the large-scale Chinese architecture there.

  Recently, Li Shaolin, former Governor of Manitoba Province and Vice Chairman of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center, and Cai Zhenchao, Senior Advisor of the Office of the President of the University of Manitoba and former Chairman of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center, were interviewed by China News Agency "East-West Question" , to analyze how the Chinese can write remarkable stories of Chinatown construction and how to win the recognition and respect of the local mainstream society.

  [Concurrent] Li Shaolin, Vice Chairman of Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center, former Governor of Manitoba, Canada

  In Canadian history (so far), a total of three Chinese people have been entrusted as provincial governors, and I am the third.

Being representative in the political world is something to be proud of.

  Question 1: Why was the "Chinese style" landmark built?

What are the successful experiences of Chinatown development?

  [Concurrent] Li Shaolin, Vice Chairman of Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center, former Governor of Manitoba, Canada

  When the first step started, we (funds) were really zero, not a penny.

We were able to ask the government for 1 Canadian dollar to give us this land, plus we raised hundreds of thousands of Canadian dollars to build the second and third floors of the cultural center, and we got housing assistance from the government to build a 7 million Canadian dollar building. Yuan's property is here, and then another small nursing home is here.

It is very rare to have a savings of tens of millions of Canadian dollars from scratch.

  [Concurrent] Cai Zhenchao, Senior Consultant of the Office of the President of the University of Manitoba, Former Chairman of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center

  We just do our best.

This (Chinese) cultural center was initially built by Dr. Yu Yuexing, Mr. Li Shaolin and many others.

This cultural center was born in many stages.

The growth of each stage also depends on the support of the Chinese in the community, so it has been able to build to the scale it is today.

  Question 2: What are the challenges for the development of the Chinese community in Winnipeg?

  [Concurrent] Cai Zhenchao, Senior Consultant of the Office of the President of the University of Manitoba, Former Chairman of the Winnipeg Chinese Cultural Center

  We Chinese, I have always felt that we need to integrate into the mainstream society.

Since you came to this different country, you have to integrate into this local society.

We need to be interested in politics, like voting.

Because in Western countries, only if you can vote, you have the right to speak.

If our Chinese don't participate in voting and these activities, we have no right to speak.

Without the right to speak, there is always the possibility of being discriminated against in the future.

Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]