OVERVIEW OF ASIA

Christopher Thomson

Christopher Thomson has visited Asia over a dozen times. In particular, he has visited China, Hong Kong and Taiwan where he worked at the Ministry of International Affairs for the QuÈbec provincial government. These experiences have given him a chance to improve his grasp of the Chinese language as well as his knowledge of Asia.

Mr. Thomson is the director of the QuÈbec bureau of the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada. The goal of this organization is to help Canadians better understand the Asia Pacific region through a variety of programs.

Before his first trip to the region, Christopher Thomson believed that Asians lived in a world that was less developed than the Western one. Later, he realized that he had to learn the institutional, social and cultural context to understand the differences between Asia and the West. He notes that to understand Asians, you must be very observant and curious. It is important to participate in, express oneself and allow yourself to be immersed in the culture, he says.

Mr. Thomson recommends that young Canadians study Asian history if they want to learn more about the culture. By seeing through their eyes, it becomes possible to understand their reality.

He explains that depending on the different groups in society, Asia is based on traditions and fundamental beliefs such as Confucianism and Buddhism. He adds, however, that these traditions have never been fixed because the world is always changing partly because of globalization and the development of high technologies.

At the Asia Connect s conference in Winnipeg, Christopher Thomson will speak about Asian culture. He notes that the conference will be but a start since nothing can replace good old-fashioned history books. He has divided his presentation into three parts: traditions, history and technology. This latter subject provides a global vision to look at the world and shape our perception of this very exciting part of the world.