China News Service, Beijing, March 16th: Promoting Sino-French friendship, Pu Haolin’s multiple lives

　　Author Li Ziwei

　　French writer Caroline Puel is well-known for establishing the French correspondent station in China for Liberation and serving as a permanent judge of the Fu Lei Translation and Publishing Award.

In addition to these identities, she is also the daughter-in-law of China. She was also a student at the China Foreign Affairs University and a French correspondent in China.

Recently, Pu Haolin accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" to share her multiple life experiences in China over the past 40 years and the changes in Sino-French relations in her eyes.

Video: [East-West Question·People] Promoting Sino-French friendship, Pu Haolin’s multiple lives

Source: China News Network

Students studying in China: Promoting exchanges between the two schools

　　In 1984, Pu Haolin came to Beijing as an intern at the Press Office of the French Embassy in China.

A translation mission brought her to China's Foreign Affairs University.

She found that "the students here are particularly interested in the French books I brought, and the students and teachers who have never left China speak French very fluently and their pronunciation is very authentic. I think this university is so interesting!"

Pu Haolin and her translator.

Photo by China News Service reporter Wang Jun

　　In the 1980s, Pu Haolin shuttled between Paris and Beijing. She was surprised by the Chinese people's understanding of the French language, French people and culture, "I felt that the Chinese and French people's understanding of each other at that time may not be accurate. Our understanding and thoughts about each other contain many of our respective values, and I want to help the Chinese people and the French people understand each other better and more truly."

　　Therefore, Pu Haolin came up with the idea of ​​​​promoting student exchanges between the China Foreign Affairs University and French universities. "Can you cooperate with my alma mater Sciences Po?" She first asked the teachers at the China Foreign Affairs University, "Unexpectedly, they expressed very strong opinions. Will.”

　　With Pu Haolin's promotion, the China Foreign Affairs University and Sciences Po began student exchanges and cooperation in 1985.

"In the first year, three Chinese students and one teacher studied at Sciences Po. At the same time, the Foreign Affairs University also recruited some French students." Pu Haolin is one of them.

“I had a very interesting year at the China Foreign Affairs University and I am still impressed by it.”

　　To this day, the China Foreign Affairs University and Sciences Po still maintain a good inter-school relationship. The person in charge of Sciences Po in China still often goes to the China Foreign Affairs University to give admissions presentations and invite more Chinese students to study in France.

Correspondent in China: Witnessing the success of Beijing’s Olympic bid

　　Former French President Charles de Gaulle once said that China is a country older than history. This sentence made Pu Haolin even more curious about Chinese civilization.

　　In 1964, China and France formally established diplomatic relations.

In 1988, Pu Haolin became a French diplomat.

"My job at that time was to travel with the French President and Foreign Minister. I would go wherever they went." Pu Haolin has traveled all over the world. "I have been to most Arab countries, Russia, South American countries, etc. But I’m still most interested in China.”

　　Curiosity drove Pu Haolin to establish the China correspondent station of "Liberation Daily" and the China correspondent station of "Viewpoint" weekly in Beijing in 1995. "At that time, there were only two French media in China, which was not enough to understand all of China." Pu Haolin decided to see China with her own eyes and tell France about China in objective words.

In her career as a journalist, the night when Beijing successfully bid for the Olympics left a mark in her memory.

On the evening of July 13, 2001, Beijing’s Tiananmen Square was crowded with people, and hundreds of thousands of people stayed up all night to celebrate Beijing’s successful bid for the Olympic Games.

Photo by Mao Jianjun

　　On the evening of July 13, 2001, Beijing time, then-International Olympic Committee President Samaranch announced that Beijing’s bid for the Olympics was successful.

"At 10:08 in the evening, I heard cheers coming from Beijing's alleys. People walked out of their homes and onto the streets, smiling and shouting. I followed them all the way to Tiananmen Square. People Gather here to celebrate this proud moment that deserves to be remembered." Pu Haolin recalled.

　　Pu Haolin compiled what she saw, heard and felt into articles, edited them into book manuscripts, and published them in France.

"I am not the first person to see China from an objective perspective, but in my work, I always uphold the value of pursuing facts."

　　Pu Haolin's book provides a relatively objective description of China's current situation, which has attracted the attention of many readers.

Pu Haolin believes that "any reader who pays attention to the international situation has enough ability to distinguish between facts and speculation."

　　Regarding the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Pu Haolin said, “In a special year like the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between France and China, hosting the Olympic Games is a very important moment. I very much hope that more Chinese friends can take this opportunity to travel to France and watch Paris. Olympic Games."

Chinese daughter-in-law: becoming a model of Sino-French friendship

　　"Ever since I was a child, my grandmother and father would read me stories about China. For example, my grandmother would tell me the love story between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian." Pu Haolin obviously couldn't imagine that many years later, she would really meet a man from Hangzhou. And Chinese people who live by the West Lake get married.

Hangzhou West Lake.

Photo by Wang Gang

　　"If I were asked to describe the current relationship between France and China, I think my husband and I are the best examples. We are the epitome of France-China relations." Pu Haolin made a cordial metaphor for the relationship between the two countries.

　　Pu Haolin's husband Cheng Xindong is an outstanding worker in the field of contemporary art. Because of his wife, he will also participate in relevant activities in the fields of culture and art between the two countries and promote exchanges between the two countries.

　　"Artistic works can sometimes directly touch people's emotions more directly than words or activities. This kind of emotion can cross national boundaries and language itself." Over the years, Pu Haolin and his wife have continued to promote artistic exchanges between China and France and promote the development of art between the two countries. The emotions of the people resonate.

　　Pu Haolin said: "Although today's France-China relations are already a very good case in international relations around the world, both China and France can enhance their communication skills." She suggested that both sides can do more when communicating. Use language and methods that can be understood by the other party to promote friendship between the two countries, "just like I chose to be interviewed in Chinese today."

　　For Western countries, Pu Haolin believes, "They may have to truly accept that China has now developed into a big country, rather than continue to be immersed in their own imaginations."

　　"So both sides must continue to work hard." Pu Haolin concluded.

(over)

Interviewee profile:

Pu Haolin.

Photo by Wang Jun

　　Caroline Puel was the China correspondent for the French weekly "Le Point" and the winner of the "Prix Albert Londres", the highest award in French journalism.

Ms. Pu Haolin came to China for the first time in 1984 and has been engaged in diplomacy and journalism for many years. She has devoted herself to writing and published French books such as "Les trenteans qui ontchangéla chine" (Les trenteans qui ontchangéla chine), and is committed to making more French People understand the real China.