On the afternoon of December 16, British Ambassador to China Mr. Peter Wilson CMG led a diplomatic delegation, including British Consul General in Wuhan Mr. Dominic McAllister and Deputy Consul General Mr. Richard Cox, to visit Henan University of Technology (HAUT). They attended the opening ceremony of the "2025 China-UK International Photography Competition," jointly organized by the University of Manchester and Henan University of Technology. This marked Ambassador Wilson's first visit to a higher education institution in Henan since assuming his post, reflecting high recognition of our university's international initiatives and achievements in UK-China exchanges and cooperation.
The visit was accompanied by leaders from relevant provincial and municipal departments, including Mr. Yang Guang, Deputy Director of the Henan Provincial Department of Education; Ms. Li Bing, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China; and Mr. Zhang Zhenyu, Deputy Director of the Zhengzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office. From Henan University of Technology, Secretary of the Party Committee Mr. Liu Zhijun, President Prof. Wu Zhishen, Vice President Prof. Zhao Renyong, as well as faculty and student representatives, participated in the event.
At the beginning of the event, Secretary Liu Zhijun briefly introduced the university's development history, educational characteristics, and achievements in international cooperation to the ambassador and his delegation in the lobby on the second floor of the administration building.
Liu Zhijun, the Party Secretary of the university, introduced the school's situation
Subsequently, university leaders held a meeting with the ambassador and other Chinese and foreign guests in Meeting Room A209, where both sides discussed further deepening China-UK educational cooperation and expanding exchanges among faculty and students.
The school leaders held talks with Ambassador Wilson
At 14:35, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the photography exhibition was held in the exhibition hall of the administration building. President Wu Zhishen presided over the opening ceremony of the photography competition. In his speech, Ambassador Wilson fully affirmed the achievements of China and the UK in cultural exchanges and educational cooperation, and particularly praised the active role played by Henan University of Technology in promoting collaboration between Chinese and British universities. Prof. Peter Hays Gries, Director of the China Institute at the University of Manchester, delivered a video speech, introducing the original purpose of establishing the photography competition and the judging process of this edition. He emphasized the unique value of visual arts in promoting cross-cultural understanding.
President Wu Zhishen presided over the opening ceremony of the photography competition
Following this, Ambassador Wilson, Deputy Director Li Bing, Deputy Director Yang Guang, Secretary Liu Zhijun, and President Wu Zhishen jointly cut the ribbon for the photography exhibition. The ambassador viewed the award-winning works from China and the UK with great interest and listened to an on-site explanation by HAUT student Gan Tiantian about her photographic work in the Henan Outstanding Works exhibition area.
The guests attending the meeting jointly cut the ribbon for the photography exhibition
While heading to the Academic Report Center D205, Ms. Zhou Yuan, Deputy Director of the Student Affairs Department under the Party Committee, briefly introduced to the ambassador the joint student training and exchange programs between the university and British institutions.
Liu Zhijun, the Party Secretary of the university, presided over the speech
At 15:00, Ambassador Wilson delivered a speech titled “Youth Agency in a Changing World” to nearly 180 faculty and student representatives in Lecture Hall D205. The speech was chaired by Secretary Liu Zhijun. Drawing on his diplomatic experience and insights into the international landscape, the ambassador elaborated on the responsibilities and opportunities for youth in global governance, technological innovation, and cultural mutual learning. He encouraged HAUT students to broaden their international perspectives and actively engage in China-UK cultural exchanges. Subsequently, the ambassador interacted warmly with the students, answering questions on topics such as China-UK educational cooperation and youth international engagement.
Ambassador Wilson delivered a speech
After the speech, a student representative presented Ambassador Wilson with a special gift—a seal engraved with his Chinese name “魏磊.” This culturally rich gift symbolizes the cultural bond and profound friendship between China and the UK.
The student representative presented a seal to the ambassador
This visit and the photography exhibition activities have further enhanced our university's influence in the field of China-UK educational cooperation and laid a solid foundation for future in-depth collaboration in talent cultivation, scientific research, and cultural exchanges. The university will continue to uphold the philosophy of open education, steadily advance substantive cooperation with world-leading universities, and contribute to the cultivation of internationally competent talents.
Group photo as a memento
