On November 8, the re-opening ceremony of the newly renovated Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia was held at the British Museum, . Over 200 guests, including Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Bronnert, Director-General Economic and Global Issues at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Sir Richard Lambert, Chairman of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum, Baron Sassoon, Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council, , Baron Powell of Bayswater, foreign policy adviser to the former British Prime Minister   and other celebrities from different fields, as well as some envoys to the United Kingdom from Asian countries attended the event. Yue Lei, Executive Vice President of Sanpower Group was also invited. Queen Elizabeth II personally reopened the gallery and examined key exhibits at the Silk Road Section such as relics, jades, ceramics and paintings, etc.

 

The British Museum has 23,000 Chinese antiquities, and the largest holding of Chinese lost antiquities outside China. In 1992, under the auspices of Sir Joseph Hotung, a Hong Kong industrialist and collector, Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of Oriental Antiquities was founded at the British Museum, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on November 9.

 

As one of the ten professional departments at the British Museum, Department of Asia collects, protects, renovates, researches and displays antiquities from different Asian countries. At present, it exhibits over 2,000 Asian antiquities to the outside world, half of which are from China, including stones, bronze wares, jades, ceramics, lacquerwares, murals and statues, etc. with a time span from B.C. 5,000 to the modern times. In June, 2016, due to internal renovation and restructuring, it closed down. On November 8, 2017, it reopened and changed the name into “Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China & South Asia”. On the basis of current exhibits, it adds more antiquities such as calligraphy, painting and silk and displays the newly collected jades, lacquerwares and ceramics in contemporary China.

 

At the event, Yue Lei reported to Liu Xiaoming about Sanpower’s business layout in Britain and its attempts and efforts in Sino-British non-governmental cultural exchange, and Liu spoke highly of it. As for the event, Yue noted that Department of Asia at the British Museum was opened by Queen in 1992. After 25 years, the Queen personally reopened the newly-renovated Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China & South Asia at the British Museum, which shows her emphasis on carrying out cultural exchange with China and other Asian countries. Civilization becomes more colorful and varied through communication and mutual learning. As the Sino-British relation is stepping into a great “golden era”, the cultural communication and exchange between two countries is the “golden bond” in this era.

 

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom (Left) and Yue Lei (Right)