On Thursday, June 23, 2022, the Faculty of Arts led by the Confucius institute, Thailand, welcomed delegates from China Cultural Center. Supported by the Chinese government, China Cultural Center and the Confucius Institute proposed future projects to bring together Chinese descendants in Thailand by organizing events with Chinese performing artists. The two Chinese organizations also plan to bring artists from the two countries to perform together. In the past, a Chinese performing group was invited to Chula to perform at the Main Auditorium. The performance was very successful with a full house attendance. For the upcoming project, possible future venues can be auditoriums at the China Cultural Center or Chulalongkorn University. Other Faculties in Chula, such as the Faculty of Fine Arts, will be invited to get involved. In addition to performing arts, the Chinese government, through the Confucius Institute, has been generously supplying Chinese books to Chulalongkorn University.
Supported by Peking University, the relationship between the Confucius Institute and Chulalongkorn University has been ongoing for more than a decade. Several professors from Peking University, with Professor Fu Zengyu as the first Director, have been appointed to run the Confucius Institute and have contributed to its robust growth. At present, the Confucius Institute is under the direction of Professor Han Shenglong.
At the meeting, Professors Han and Fu, represented the Confucius Institute, received the guests together with Associate Professor Suradech Chotiudompant, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Assistant Professor Nirada Chitrakara, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts. The guests joining this meeting included Ma Hongwu and Zhang Yanjiao, China Cultural Center Project Managers and Que Xiaohua, Director of China National Tourist Office, Bangkok.
The China Cultural Center, located in Ratchada, close to the Embassy of China, was established in 2012, following a bilateral friendship agreement between Thailand and China. The largest China Cultural Center in Southeast Asia, the Center boasts its impressive traditional Chinese architecture. It is one of the places to visit in the area. The Center also opens for the public who wish to take classes related to Chinese language and culture.
