Sinophile
A Sinophile is a person who demonstrates fondness or strong interest in China, Chinese culture, Chinese history, Chinese politics, and/or Chinese people.
Notable Sinophiles
Europe
France
- Louis XIV, a 17th-century French monarch whose Grand Trianon, spread of Chinoiserie, centennial new year bash, and Confucian translations were influenced by Chinese culture.
- Voltaire, a 17th-century French philosopher who admired Chinese culture and Confucian thought.
Germany
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a 17th-century German polymath who loved Chinese culture and studied many aspects of it.
Italy
- Marco Polo, Italian explorer who was one of the first Europeans to visit China and narrated about the nation in his travelogue, The Travels of Marco Polo
- Matteo Ricci, Italian Jesuit who was the first to translate the Confucian classics into Latin and taught European science to the Emperor and the Chinese literati
Russia
- Dmitri Mendeleev, Russian chemist and inventor
- Leo Tolstoy, Russian writer widely considered one of the world's greatest novelists
Oceania
Australia
- Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996
- Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and in 2013. His sinophile characterisation has been disputed.
North America
United States
- Allen Iverson, former NBA star basketball player who has expressed affinity for the country
- Stephon Marbury, former NBA star basketball player who joined the Beijing Ducks and has expressed affinity for the country
- James Veneris, US soldier who defected to China after the Korean War and remained in the country expressing positive feelings until his death in 2004
Asia
Thailand
- Sirindhorn, Thai princess who has received awards in China for promoting friendship between the two countries