Lebanese Ambassador's Wife Discovering China

Rim Abboud, wife of Farid Abboud, Lebanon's ambassador to China [Women of China English Monthly/Zhang Jiamin]

Rim Abboud, wife of Farid Abboud, Lebanon's ambassador to China, arrived in China — the country that she always wanted to visit and discover — in 2013. "I have read so much about China's stunning economic growth and progress, and about its importance on the global scene. I wanted to be a witness to and a participant in the unique historical changes happening in China," she says.

Compared with China, and its 1.38 billion population, Lebanon, with less than 5 million people, is a small country, says Rim Abboud, wife of Farid Abboud, Lebanon's ambassador to China. "Yet it is characterized by a cosmopolitan life-style, unbridled freedom of press, a solid financial system, a vibrant social scene, and a stunning cultural and linguistic diversity.  Life in Lebanon is fast and exciting, but challenging: in this respect, it is similar to life in a rapidly changing society, such as China. Lebanon is a complicated mosaic of trends, ethnic groups, religious communities, and clashing ideas: all these features are the roots of both Lebanon's richness and its precarious stability." Rim Abboud says.

She says her biggest challenge in China is learning the Chinese language. Like most Lebanese, Rim Abboud is trilingual (she speaks English, French and Arabic). She was fortunate to have been able to communicate easily in each country in which her husband has been appointed before China.

"Mandarin is obviously more challenging to learn and requires dedication and a substantial investment in time. It is an obstacle to be overcome on a daily basis not only as a means of communication, but also as the foundation of Chinese identity and culture … The size of the country, its huge population and the variety of cultures and outlooks that China exudes can sometimes be overwhelming thus a deliberate and independent attitude is vital to make the most of one's experience in China," Rim Abboud says.

"Both China and Lebanon are very old civilizations, and their long histories are integral parts of their present national identities. Like China, Lebanese cuisine has gone global, and has been recognized internationally. Lebanese Mezze, our own version of dim sum, is a variety of small appetizer dishes that create an array of colors, flavors, textures and aromas," she says.

"Additionally, Lebanon can be considered one of the cradles of wine production, which dates as far back as 5,000 years, with the ancient Phoenicians. The sector has grown substantially in the last 10 years (from around eight wineries 10 years ago to 41 in 2013) … Today, (Lebanon) exports over 50 percent of its wine production to the United Kingdom, France and the United States," Rim Abboud says. "China is a promising market because of the newly acquired taste for quality wines that is spreading among its younger and affluent generation, and we hope Lebanon's wines will find their niche in this market in the future."

When talking about Lebanese women, she says: "Even if … Lebanese women have traditionally been homemakers, but things have been changing rapidly. The percentage of women in the workforce is increasing dramatically; many are now in executive positions, and more women are attaining higher education (54 percent of university graduates are females.)

"Lebanon has more than 170 nongovernmental women's organizations … These organizations are licensed by the Lebanese Government, and they are active in the healthcare sector, environmental sector and rehabilitation and family organization sectors. Women's organizations are quite active in their fight for equal rights, and in their defense of women's issues," Rim Abboud says.

About Sino-Lebanese relations, she says, "The relation between the two countries dates back to revolutionary times. Lebanon and China established diplomatic relations in 1971. Since then, Lebanon and China have always had a friendly relationship, and the booming trade exchange have contributed to strengthen this relation. In addition cultural exchanges are strong on the level of University studies and language training. I hope more Lebanese students will travel to China to study, and vice versa as several programs have been established in both countries to achieve that goal."

"The year 2010 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Comrade George Hatem, in Chinese 马海德 (Mǎ Hǎidé), who was of Lebanese descent. Ma, who was a doctor, became a member of the Communist Party of China in 1937. He was the first foreigner to be granted citizenship by the People's Republic of China, in thanks for his dedication and leadership to public health in China," Rim Abboud says.

"Today, the Lebanese … in China are located mainly in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Most of them are businessmen, and some of them work in joint ventures in China."

Rim Abboud takes any opportunity to travel with her family across China. She especially enjoyed her visit to Harbin, where she took in the international ice and snow festival, as well as the Yangtze River three-day cruise.

"Going through the locks of the Three Gorges Dam was unbelievable. Learning about the history of the dam, the relocation of residents … the economic effect and so much more was truly fascinating," Rim Abboud says.

"For me, coming to China was an eye-opener. I now see the world differently. Before I came to China, my natural inclination was to view the world from a Western perspective, and my knowledge of 'the Far East' was theoretical. Since I have experienced life in China, and met Chinese people, my perspective has changed radically. We live in a multi polar world, where East and West meet and seek to understand and respect each other," Rim Abboud says. "My China experience is one small step in my personal journey towards that goal."

(Source: Women of China English Monthly May 2014 Issue)