Belgian King’s “Great Wall Complex”: Long Distance Cannot Separate Bosom Friends

In 2015, King Philippe of Belgium chose China for his first state visit after his accession to the throne, and on June 23rd, His and Her Majesty Philippe climbed the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, China.

This is King Philippe’s ninth visit to China, and he is deeply attracted to this oriental country with the majestic Great Wall.

The unique friendship reflected by the nine visits to China has given the King a deep understanding of Chinese culture.

On August 15, 1986, Phillippe, then Crown Prince of Belgium visited a watch factory in Wuhan.

King Philippe of Belgium visited the Summer Palace with his consort in 2011.

This time he chose to stroll on the Great Wall with his wife without the accompaniment of any guide or translator, enjoying their romantic “Great Wall moment” alone.

He said, I love China, and the more I am there, the more I want to know about China.

King Philippe’s frequent return to China, to the land he has become so familiar with, has deepened the friendship between the two countries and witnessed the rapid development of Chinese modernization.

Badaling, which winds its way along the mountains and steep ridges, is the most important section of the Great Wall in China. As the essence of the Great Wall of China, the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing is an architectural miracle and an unparalleled cultural landscape in human history, a symbol of the peace-loving nature of the Chinese nation and a splendid treasure of the Chinese civilization.

From Brussels, Belgium to Beijing, China, from Brussels’ Grand Place to the Badaling Great Wall, the two cultural heritages together convey the hope of peace and development for the world.

Long distance cannot separate bosom friends. The Great Wall has witnessed the recognition of each other’s cultures by the two peoples, and is a bridge of friendship that stretches thousands of miles.