GDUFS teachers Matt Horn and Alison Roberts were chosen from the 150,000 foreign experts living and working in Guangdong Province to join China’s 60th anniversary celebrations in Beijing.  They were accompanied by the Director of Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of Guangdong Province, Limo Qin, and three other foreign expert couples.

In attendance at the reception was the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, State Council Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, Members of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, Head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Li Yuan Chao, along with other leaders and foreign expert representatives. Ji Yunshi hosted and Li Keqiang delivered a speech at the reception.

"It was an incredible weekend,"said Mr. Horn. "We were flown up on Saturday afternoon before the National Day and then joined the celebration in the Great Hall the next day."  To Mr. Horn's surprise, he was asked to do a TV interview with Xiao Zhiheng, the Vice-Governor of Guangdong.

“We had been told there would be a meeting," Matt said, “but it was a big surprise to enter this typically large conference room with large leather chairs, and to find my name at the top table alongside the Deputy Governor." There, Vice-Governor Xiao congratulated the three foreign experts on behalf of the government and thanked them for their contribution to the economic development of Guangdong.

Vice-Governor Xiao briefed them on Guangdong’s recent economic development and focused on development in the first half of this year. He indicated that, in China, Guangdong is home to the highest amount of foreign experts at about 150,000 every year.   He went onto state his belief that foreign experts are an important force in the building of valuable human resources for Guangdong. They have played an irreplaceable role in promoting technological progress and have enhanced the capability of independent innovation and international competitiveness.
 

When we asked Mr. Horn for his overall impression of the trip, he told us, “the Beijing trip was the latest in a long list of amazing experiences we have enjoyed since we came to live in China, but it is one of the most memorable. We only came to Guangzhou for a short time but are now very proud to call it our second home." 

Additional information about Matthew Horn

Winner of "Nan Yue Friendship Award 2005" and the "GDUFS Outstanding Foreign Teacher Award". Since 2003, Mr. Horn and his wife, Alison, have worked as professors at GDUFS. In addition, he works as a proofreader for the bid to host the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and has taken an active part in helping with Guangdong’s National College Entrance Examination.