英國駐重慶總領事李遙：在重慶的每一天都是新的

楊艷 黃儀

Anthony Preston, British Consul-General in Chongqing: Each Day a New Day Living in Chongqing

By Yang Yan and Huang Yi/The World and Chongqing

Profile? ：

Anthony Preston, 46 years old, has worked as an English teacher and reporter who likes traveling, music, diving, and modern Asian history. As a foreigner residing in Sichuan, he can speak idiomatic Sichuan and Chongqing dialects like “要得” (“Yao De”, meaning “OK”) and “對頭” (“Dui Tou”, meaning “Yes”), and can understand the famous Sichuan-Chongqing meme of “蜀道山” (“Shu Dao Shan”, meaning “On the count of three”).

“‘李(Li) brings Chinese friends an intimate feeling just like that with their families, while ‘遙 (Yao) means coming from a distant place.” Anthony Preston illustrates the meaning of his Chinese name like this.

人物名片：

李遙，46歲，當過英文老師、做過記者，喜歡旅行、音樂、潛水和現代亞洲歷史。四川女婿，能說“要得”“對頭”等地道川渝方言，還能聽懂川渝名?！笆竦郎健?。

“‘李能讓中國朋友覺得很親近，就像家人一樣；‘遙表示來自遠方?！崩钸b這樣理解他中文名字的意義。

“A familiar and comfortable life in Chongqing”

“People in both Chongqing and London share a profound connection with water because their history and culture have been affected by the two cities geographical locations and the rivers going through the city.” His hometown is a small town on the river bank of the Thames. Nowadays, he feels familiar and comfortable living in Chongqing surrounded by two rivers, namely the Yangtze River and the Jialing River.

Anthony Preston likes riding the ferry in Chongqing very much to enjoy the scenery in different places and would take photos of interesting discoveries with his mobile phone at any time. For him, each day living in Chongqing means a new day. He is curious about the city, trying to visit somewhere new, experiencing something new, and meeting someone new.

He has left his footsteps in the Flea Market, Zhongshan 4th Road, Luohan Temple, and Baiheliang Underwater Museum. He also likes eating Chongqing Noodles very much. Anthony Preston has recorded all of those in a vlog. “Chongqing skyline has changed quite a lot. But some things have remained the same - the combination of modern and historical, the combination of city and forest, and I think, obviously, the spirit of the Chongqing people has remained the same throughout.”

“Very pleased to see the continuing friendship between Chongqing and Leicester as sister cities”

As the sunset casts its glow over the Jialing River, the mountain-water landscape unique to Chongqing will hide nowhere if you look across the river to Jiangbeizui from Hongyadong. Anthony Preston chooses this location for a media interview to explain his familiarity and fondness for Chongqing.

Anthony Preston came to Chongqing in 2000 for the first time, and he now feels a deep sense of familiarity and anticipation as he returns to the city he loves to fulfill his duties after so many years.

“In recent days, I visited the Chongqing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office where we discussed Chongqings rapid development and its pivotal role in building the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-Hub Mega-Region and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. We exchanged opinions on the contributions made by British organizations in Chongqing to support local development in various fields such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, culture, green finance, etc.” Anthony Preston expressed his enjoyment and anticipation for his new job, which promises to be busy and filled with challenges.

“Chongqing boasts an advantageous geographical location and has become increasingly strategic and strategically important to Chinas national government efforts.” Anthony Preston is deeply aware of it.

Chongqing and Leicester in the U.K. became international friendship cities in October 1993. “At the end of 2023, the delegation of the Chongqing Municipal Government visited Leicester and discussed collaboration in a number of areas, including education and the medical side. Chongqing University and the University of Leicester are developing collaborations in those areas, too. So, the strong foundations and a lot to build on.” Anthony Preston is very pleased to see the continuing friendship between Chongqing and Leicester as “sister cities”.

“Unlimited potential to cooperate and develop with Chongqing”

Since its establishment in 2000, the British Consulate-General in Chongqing has fostered a wide range of friendship and cooperation. Anthony Preston said British companies such as INEOS, Savills, Jardine Matheson, Harrow, and GKN have come to Chongqing and achieved success. British companies have also played a significant role in designing landmark buildings such as the Raffles City Chongqing, Chongqing Industrial Museum, and TESTBED2. In terms of education, Chongqing is home to two British-style schools: Harrow LiDe School and Lucton School, which offer families in Chongqing more choices for international education.

Regarding Chongqings opening up and exchanges and cooperation, Anthony Preston said the British Consulate-General in Chongqing will continue to further the cooperation between Chongqing and the U.K. in education, healthcare, creative industries, advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure. The Consulate-General aims to gain a more precise understanding of Chongqings policies and business environment to facilitate broader cooperation across various sectors. It is believed that there is unlimited potential to cooperate and develop with Chongqing.

“Both the U.K. and China are playing a lead role in the world in science, technology, and innovation (STI), green energy, and climate change, and we are also cooperating in these fields.” Anthony Preston said, “In terms of exchanges on culture and arts, many British cultural offerings have been brought to Chongqing. Last year, the West End Smash Hit Musical Love Never Dies was performed at the Chongqing Grand Theater, and new programs will be launched gradually in Chongqing throughout the year.”

“在重慶生活親切又舒適”

“重慶和倫敦在歷史、文化等方面都受到城市地理位置和穿城而過的河流影響，兩座城市的人都對水有著特殊情結?！碧┪钍亢优系囊蛔〕鞘抢钸b的家鄉。如今，在兩江環抱的重慶生活，他感到親切又舒適。

李遙非常喜歡在重慶坐輪渡，去不同的地方欣賞風景，隨時用手機拍下有趣的發現。在他看來，在重慶的每一天都是新的。他對這座城市充滿好奇，每天都在嘗試去新的地方、體驗新的東西、結識新的人。

董家溪跳蚤市場、中山四路、羅漢寺、白鶴梁水下博物館……都留下了他的足跡，他還超級喜歡吃重慶小面。李遙把這一切都拍成了vlog,“從過去到現在，重慶的城市天際線發生著變化。但有些東西從未改變，比如，這座城市現代與歷史的融合，城市與森林的交融。最重要的是，重慶人民的精神一直沒有改變?！?/p>

“非常高興看到重慶與萊斯特保持著‘姐妹城市的友好關系”

夕陽灑滿嘉陵江，從洪崖洞遠眺江對岸的江北嘴，重慶獨特的山水風景一覽無余。李遙選擇在這里接受媒體采訪，講述他對重慶的熟悉和喜愛。

2000年，李遙第一次來到重慶，時隔多年后再回到喜愛的城市履職，他倍感親切，充滿期待。

“近日，我拜訪了重慶市政府外辦，討論了重慶正在經歷的快速發展，及其在成渝地區雙城經濟圈和陸海新通道建設方面發揮的關鍵作用。就英國駐渝機構為支持重慶發展起到的積極作用交換了意見，這些領域涉及教育、醫療、基礎設施、文化、綠色金融等?！崩钸b表示，他非常喜歡并向往忙碌和充滿挑戰的新工作。

“重慶地理位置優越，就國家政策層面而言，戰略地位也越來越重要?！睂Υ?，李遙深有體會。

1993年10月，重慶市與英國萊斯特市締結國際友好城市?！?023年末，重慶市政府代表團訪問萊斯特市，并就教育和醫療行業的合作項目展開探討。重慶大學和萊斯特大學也進行了深入合作。雙方有非常堅實的合作基礎，相信今后我們還會取得更多的合作成果?！崩钸b非常高興看到兩市保持著“姐妹城市”的友好關系。

“與重慶合作發展潛力無限”

英國駐重慶總領事館自2000年設立以來，與重慶建立了廣泛的友好合作關系。李遙介紹，英力士、第一太平戴維斯、怡和、哈羅、吉凱恩等英國企業來渝發展并取得了成功。重慶來福士廣場、工業博物館、鵝嶺貳廠等地標建筑的設計，有英國公司的深度參與。在教育領域，重慶有哈羅禮德學校和萊克頓學校兩所英式教育學校，為重慶家庭提供了更多國際教育選擇。

談及重慶對外開放和交流合作，李遙表示，英國駐重慶總領事館將繼續深化英國和重慶在教育、醫療健康、創意產業、先進制造業、基礎設施建設等領域的合作，更準確地了解重慶的政策和商業環境，尋求更多領域的攜手。相信與重慶合作發展潛力無限。

“比如，科技創新領域，綠色能源和氣候變化領域，英國和中國在全球處于領先地位，這方面我們也有一些項目正在開展合作?！崩钸b介紹，在文化藝術交流方面，英國不少文化項目落地重慶。比如，去年在重慶大劇院演出的英文原版音樂劇《劇院魅影續作：真愛永恒》，今年也將有新的項目陸續在重慶推出。