The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies, the pre-eminent Jesuit education center in mainland China, had the honor of welcoming Bishop Stephen Chow, SJ, to our campus on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Bishop Chow was previously the Provincial of the Chinese Province of the Jesuits, and is a longtime friend of TBC, so it gave us great joy to welcome him again to TBC’s offices as the Bishop of Hong Kong.

Accompanying Bishop Chow was Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha, OFM, and Fr. Peter Choi, Vicar General. During the visit, the guests discussed TBC’s mission and how TBC and the Hong
Kong Diocese can work together, kindly met all TBC staff individually, pored over our rare book collection, and learned more about our short-term impactful travel program, ChinaContact, while enjoying tea in our newly debuted teahouse.

“Bishop Stephen Chow’s visit underscores the importance of both TBC’s and the diocese’s roles as bridges between mainland China and Hong Kong,” said Simon Koo, Executive Director of The Beijing Center. “Over thirty years ago, Bishop Chow was a teacher in my high school, so to reflect on The Beijing Center’s role as a hub for education and exchange with him is something very special on both a personal and professional level, and I really look
forward to the future of TBC and Hong Kong relations.”

Bishop Chow’s visit to Beijing was historic, as it was the first visit from a Hong Kong bishop to mainland China since Cardinal John Baptist Wu, before the handover of the city. He also visited churches and the tomb of the Venerable Matteo Ricci, and emphasized that the Hong Kong Diocese, much like The Beijing Center, serves as a bridge.

The Beijing Center was established in 1998 to be a hub for the international Jesuit higher education network in mainland China, an organization that serves the community, and an intellectual apostolate of the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus. As a not-for-profit higher education institution, both international and domestic students take accredited classes held at United States-university level rigor. Upholding a tradition built over centuries of friendship, The Beijing Center builds bridges between China and the rest of the world through a passion for education, service, and engagement.