National Notebook

NZCFS 1952 - 2012 Sixty Years Recent News The Photographers’ Tour arrived back last weekend, and Judy Livingstone, Tour Leader, said they had a great trip, with plenty of time to take photos and a few adventures along the way.  Stories and photos next Notebook. Auckland Branch is co-sponsor of an exhibition of more than 100 photographs celebrating Rewi Alley’s life. This opens at the Uxbridge, Howick’s Creative Centre on Thursday 17 May, the evening before our National Conference. A … [Read more...]

 1952 - 2012 Sixty Years 60th ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL CONFERENCE & ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 18-20 May 2012      Owen Glenn Building,  University of Auckland “By honouring our past, we find our future” Our Conference this year will be held in our founding city, Auckland, from 18 to 20 May and Auckland Branch President George Andrews says they are “pulling out all the stops” to commemorate the 60th anniversary.  George and renowned set designer John Parker are combining their … [Read more...]

NZCFS 1952 - 2012 Sixty Years The original hand written minute book records:   Wednesday 27 February 1952 at 8pm saw a group of 4 women and 13 men meet in room 13, Tabernacle Buildings, Karangahape Road, Auckland in February “for the purpose of forming an organization of friendship and understanding of China and the Chinese People”. Mr B Read took the chair and after discussion it was agreed the name be “ The China Friendship Association” with a subscription of two shillings and six … [Read more...]

MESSAGE FROM NATIONAL PRESIDENT ERIC Greetings to all of you as we head towards the Christmas and holiday season. Apart from the tragic time during the earthquakes in Canterbury especially that of February earlier this year, as a Society we have had an extremely active and rewarding year. As I reflect on the multitude of dedicated people we have in our Society volunteering their time and expertise in all areas from hosting Chinese visitors, to supporting our Chinese projects, running branch … [Read more...]

NZCFS Projects and Tibetan Communities Tour Dave Bromwich reports, “Last week the fourteen people on our Tour met the  Shaanxi Women's Federation and visited the Society’s health and co-operative development projects in Feng County, Baoji City. One day we thought we would have to double back, but the road was open and snow was falling and we saw a wolf as we passed by!  This week we are in Lhasa enjoying a very different culture with lots of time to spend exploring the Bakhor market and … [Read more...]

Welcome to a High-level Delegation from Beijing Auckland Branch had the honour of welcoming a high-level delegation from Beijing at a dinner on Tuesday, 4th September 2011.  The delegation was led by Mr Liao Hui, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) [the Chinese equivalent of the US Senate] and also President of the China-Oceania Friendship Assoc. (COFA). National President Eric Livingstone was unable to attend as he is in … [Read more...]

Margot Cornwall Scholarship, 2011 Peter Cornwall, generously established the scholarship in memory of his wife Margot to allow a Youxie staff member to study in New Zealand for one semester. Wang Lidan (Linda) was the inaugural Cornwall Scholar and she was determined to make the most of her opportunity.Not only was her very first lecture at Canterbury University disrupted by the immense events of 22 February, but her last week here was also thrown into chaos by the major aftershocks of … [Read more...]

Year of the Rabbit In 2010 NZCFS started a rabbit raising project for hamlets in poor rural areas in the interior of karst Guangxi. This year, your Projects’ Team is promoting the extension of this project to reach more families. For $80, a new household can receive a team of rabbits to get started. Read more on this website under Projects, Guangxi. On 6 July 2011 we received a report from Mr. Yuan, the Animal Husbandry Technician, training and advising the farmers. In the 17 households in … [Read more...]

National Conference and AGM        China & New Zealand: The Next Decade 27-29th May 2011 in Wellington Thank you to all the Wellington Branch Committee and Members who contributed to make this conference a highlight. The speakers each gave us much to think about, the venue worked well and the food delicious. A highlight is always catching up with people we know well and the opportunity to talk over NZCFS matters. Branch President, Bernie Richmond was Chair of the organizing … [Read more...]

CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE On behalf of all Christchurch Branch members of the Society and its President Judy, thankyou for all the messages of concern and encouragement from other branches, individual members and also from our friends in China. We have been in shock supporting each other and endeavouring to normalize our lives, not wanting to even visit the centre of our city that has been decimated. We were warned to expect a large aftershock at some stage but never to my knowledge did we think … [Read more...]

2011 CHINA DISCOVERY TOUROur exciting April tour is to be led by our very experienced and knowledgeable Tours Committee Chairman and National Treasurer, Royden Smith of Nelson who reports the tour group will be an intimate number of around a dozen. This will make for an even better experience as they visit the historic cities of Taiyuan, Pingyao and Zhenzhou, the wonders of Shaolin and the beauty of the mountains of Huashan.They will visit the Longmen Grottoes, one of China's three most … [Read more...]

2011 CHINA DISCOVERY TOUR Our exciting April tour is to be led by our very experienced and knowledgeable Tours Committee Chairman and National Treasurer, Royden Smith of Nelson who reports the tour group will be an intimate number of around a dozen. This will make for an even better experience as they visit the historic cities of Taiyuan, Pingyao and Zhenzhou, the wonders of Shaolin and the beauty of the mountains of Huashan. They will visit the Longmen Grottoes, one of China's three most … [Read more...]