Deja Vu!

ByAlexandra Espinoza (Sweden) August 1, 2014
Deja Vu!
Bermann, French ambassador to China [Women of China English Monthly / Alexandra Espinoza (Sweden)]

"The start of my life in China, in 1976, was a very interesting time, especially for discovering (what was happening) in this country," says Bermann, recalling her decision to study in China. "There were only 25 French students in the whole country. Now, the number has risen to more than 9,000."

Bermann, who was fascinated by China, wanted to study both the Chinese language and the culture. Nearly two decades later, in March 2011, when she was appointed French ambassador to China, Bermann was filled with joy.

"After I finished my studies, I began a diplomatic career, and I served in Hong Kong and mainland China for a few years. I was later in charge of communications with China at France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and I enjoyed being posted in Moscow, New York and Brussels. Before I came to China, as the ambassador, I was director of (affairs related to) the United Nations and international organizations at our Ministry of Foreign Affairs," she says.

The French Government over the years has passed many regulations to ensure French women are well represented in political and economic life, Bermann says. To improve women's social status, Bermann suggests that the French Government has to make sure social facilities, such as kindergartens, are set up to help women look after their children, and that laws are implemented to ensure women do not become victims of domestic violence.

"When it comes to China, I really like the saying 'half the sky' in describing the role Chinese women are playing," Bermann says. "Women's success in business and in the media, in China, deserves praise."

What similarities have Bermann discovered between Chinese and French women? "There are few top female leaders in both countries," she answers. She also notes that women's careers tend to focus on different fields, compared with those of men, and that there is a gap between the salaries received by women and men.

"Above all, there remains a strong preference for boys in Chinese society. Of course, there are cultural reasons, but I believe there are economic reasons too. If a family's perspective, based on the old days, about earning a living is to rely on a single child, the family members know that men will have better jobs and higher salaries, so they will prefer to give birth to a boy than to a girl," Bermann says.

She acknowledges that when people talk about her — be they French or Chinese — they tend to emphasize that she is "France's first female ambassador to China." She says she longs for the day when the gender issue will not even be mentioned. "By then, it will be considered natural, and evident, that men and women are the same professionally, and that either can become an ambassador," she explains.

The diplomatic relationship between France and the People's Republic of China formally began in 1964. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the countries' diplomatic exchanges. As such, it is regarded as the perfect time to showcase the global strategic partnership between France and China.

"Political dialogue tends to cover all international issues between our two nations. We are especially keen to reinforce cooperation with China, to tackle problems derived from climate change. Our economic partnership is very dynamic. We are working to promote French products in China, and to boost Chinese investments in France; in particular, in our historical fields of cooperation, such as energy and aeronautics. We are also trying to develop cooperation in promising new areas, such as agri-food, sustainable urban development and healthcare.

"This partnership was bolstered by the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to France (in late March), which was an opportunity to make progress on exchanges in every domain. A successful business summit, which attracted more than 500 Chinese and French businesspeople, was held in Paris on March 27 (this year). They signed a combined 50 contracts, worth billions of US dollars, in various sectors, including food, health, information industry, transportation, cars and nuclear energy," Bermann adds.

"We want to promote people-to-people exchanges, especially between young people, since they will play fundamental roles in building up the future relationship of the two countries. We have reduced the delay of visa delivery to 48 hours. We look forward to welcoming 50,000 Chinese students to study in France in the near future.

"The French community in China has increased almost threefold in the past decade. Nearly 50,000 French people work or study in China. Most of them are young and very active in developing communications with the locals, and I believe they are as much the 'ambassadors' of my country to China as I am," Bermann says.

For this reason, she adds, the French Government has attached great importance to encouraging people-to-people exchanges. "We know that young French and young Chinese are the actors in tomorrow's dialogue, and that's why we wish to see more exchange programs between individuals," Bermann says. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China, the French Embassy plans to hold nearly 200 events throughout the year.

Bermann says France is one of the top destinations for Chinese travelers, because France has a combination of rich and ancient culture, gastronomy, arts and what the French call "heritage" and the "art de vivre (lifestyle)."

"The romantic image (of France) is appealing to tourists, and it contributes to making France one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. But France's attractiveness cannot be summed up simply by 'romanticism' and 'art de vivre.' France is also a very attractive country because of its students, researchers and investors. It is a scientific and technological powerhouse, and a modern hub in the heart of Europe," Bermann says.

"I have learned a lot from China, since it is a country that changes every day. I'm always astonished by its modernization process and its constant dynamism. I discovered (certain aspects of) China 35 years ago, as a student, so I can now measure the amplitude of changes in society, especially among Chinese youth, who are facing the future," she concludes.

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

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