Serge Cholley's Keynote Lecture: Officers and diplomats on the front line

A look back at the conference

On November 22, 2023, the Inalco Foundation was delighted to welcome Serge Cholley for a lecture on frontline officers and diplomats.

A former Inalco graduate in Chinese studies, Serge Cholley's career path is more than singular: he is one of the highest-ranking Officers Inalco has ever trained. In 2018, he was made a Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur. He is also the author of the book Les Ambitions spatiales de la Chine (2012).

During this lecture, Serge Cholley shared his experience in China as a military officer in the service of diplomats, while explaining the influence his time at Inalco (1989-1991) had on his military career. He was Air Attaché at the French Embassy in Beijing from 1993 to 1996, after having been Officer in charge of China at the Military Intelligence Directorate. He then returned to China as Head of the French Military Mission from 2012 to 2014.

Serge Cholley is thus the distant successor of the legendary General Jacques Guillermaz, stationed in China during the Second World War, known as much for his qualities as an officer and diplomat as a Sinologist.

You can now find the podcast of Serge Cholley's "Frontline officers and diplomats" lecture.