On March 22, 2026, ahead of the 34th World Water Day, the “Hello, Shenyang!” China-France Friendship Exchange Day and the “Pooling Wisdom from China and France · Nourishing the Future Together” World Water Day Event was successfully held at the Academic Lecture Hall of Chongshan Campus, Liaoning University. Attendees included Chen Shuangwei, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shenyang Municipal People’s Government and President of Shenyang People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Benoît ROYER, Consul General of France in Shenyang; Huo Chunhui, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Liaoning University; Ye Liang, Deputy Director of Shenyang Water Affairs Bureau; Li Zhimin, Chairman of Shenyang Xinji Development Co., Ltd.; Liu Yongkai, Director of Government Affairs at Suez Environment Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and other distinguished guests. The event was hosted by Liu Zhenning, Executive Vice-President of the Shenyang Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Chen Shuangwei expressed gratitude to the representatives of France’s Suez Group and people from all walks of life who have long cared about and supported Shenyang's opening-up and ecological environment construction. He stated that safeguarding water resource security and promoting aquatic ecological restoration are important global issues. China-France cooperation in the water resource sector has been continuously deepened, and this event will further advance technical mutual learning, talent exchanges and industrial cooperation in ecological governance.
Benoît ROYER thanked Shenyang People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries for organizing the event and spoke of his deep ties with the Suez Group. Quoting the ancient Chinese poem: “How can the channel remain so clear? Because fresh water flows in from the source.”, he expressed his expectation for in-depth cooperation with institutions such as Liaoning University, in order to inject an endless stream of vitality into Shenyang’s water affairs and China-France friendship.
Huo Chunhui welcomed the leaders and guests in attendance and gave a brief overview of the university’s successful initiatives in the development of environmental disciplines, education for sustainable development and the integration of talent cultivation with community service. He noted that this event is not only a grand exchange of environmental protection concepts and technologies between China and France, but also an important opportunity for the university to deepen university-enterprise cooperation and innovate talent training models, which will contribute the wisdom and strength of Liaoning University to Shenyang’s green and low-carbon transformation.
Ye Liang outlined Shenyang’s specific water usage situation and the city’s strategic plans for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, covering the implementation of a system of strict water resource constraints, capacity building for water security, the management of the aquatic ecological environment and the enhancement of urban and rural water supply capabilities. He looked forward to strengthened cooperation between Chinese and foreign friends to jointly polish the city card of “Shenyang by the Water, a place I long to visit”.
Subsequently, Chen Shuangwei and Benoît ROYER jointly watered an evergreen ivy potted plant symbolizing China-France friendship, marking the official launch of the event.
Representatives from the College of Environment of Liaoning University, Suez Environment Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Shenyang Xinji Development Co., Ltd. jointly signed a memorandum of industry-university-research cooperation.
As part of the event, Chen Guohui, Senior Engineer at the School of Environment, Liaoning University; Jin Yi, Senior Project Manager at Suez Environment Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.; Zhang Guangxin, General Manager of Shenyang Xinji Environmental Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd. were invited to deliver three specialist lectures to the students and staff in attendance.
Xie Mingyi, Director of the Office of International Affairs of Liaoning University; Wang Tieying, Secretary of the Party Committee of the College of Environment; Xu Lianman, Vice Dean of the College of Environment; Charlène CHALEY, Consul of the Cultural, Educational and Cooperation Section of the Consulate General of France in Shenyang; Roy, Assistant Cooperation Officer of the Cultural, Educational and Cooperation Section of the Consulate General of France in Shenyang, as well as some teachers and students from the College of Environment participated in the event.
The event has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society. Media outlets such as Shenyang Daily and Shenyang Radio and Television Station were present to conduct interviews and reports.
