NEXT BRANCH MEETING
HE Mr Xu Jianguo, PRC Ambassador
will speak on
“China’s Economic Outlook and Peaceful Development”
Mr. Xu Jianguo was born in October 1955 and is a native of Zhejiang Province. Mr. Xu holds a Bachelor’s degree of Engineering and Law, and his professional and academic careers have spanned the following positions. From 1972-1978, Mr. Xu worked in the Cixi Machine Tool Plant in Zhejiang Province. From 1978-1993, Mr. Xu studied and worked in Zhejiang University as Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Party Committee, and was a member of the University Party Committee, as well as Secretary of the University’s Chinese Youth League Committee, Zhejiang University. Mr. Xu was also a visiting scholar at Syracuse University in the USA. From 1993-2000, Mr. Xu worked as the Vice Mayor of Deqing County, Zhejiang Province, Director of the Financial Division, General Office of the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, and Deputy Director, Ningbo Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee of Zhejiang Province. From 2000-2010, Mr. Xu worked as Counsellor, Chinese Embassy in the Republic of South Africa, Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, Deputy Director-General of the Department of External Security Affairs, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chinese Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In 2010, Mr. Xu was appointed Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Niue.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011, at 5:45 pm
Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, off Hill Street, Thorndon, Wellington.
(Car park up Guildford Tce beside Hall)
An optional Chinese buffet meal, supplied by the Fujiyama Café, will follow the meeting at 7 pm. Orders for the $11.00 meal (please pay at the door) will be taken up till 6 pm. If you think you may be arriving late, please let the Secretary know in advance.
ALSO COMING UP THIS MONTH
3, 10, 17, 24 September 3:15pm Mandarin Corner, 20 Kelburn Parade
28 August 7:00pm Film Evening, 101 Wakefield St
See below for further details.
NEW MEMBERS – A warm welcome to Wei Shin Yu.
IDIOM OF THE MONTH (from George Mills)
兴趣是最好的老师 [xìngqù shì zuì hǎo de lǎoshī] Interest is the best teacher
REPORT ON LAST MEETING (from Joy Bickley-Asher)
There has been a steady increase in the numbers of New Zealand school students learning the Chinese language until in 2010 there were more than 10,000. Dr Han Xi, national Chinese language advisor, provided these figures in her role as guest speaker at the August meeting of the branch. Undoubtedly, Dr Han Xi’s work contributed to this level of success. Now almost at the end of her stay in New Zealand, Dr Han Xi was sent to New Zealand by Hanban, a Chinese government organisation aiming to spread Chinese language teaching and learning overseas. For the last six years she has organised a wide range of activities all around New Zealand and in China with resources largely supplied by Hanban. This has resulted in an increase in knowledge and understanding about the Chinese language and culture among primary, intermediate and secondary pupils, their teachers and school principals.
Both teachers and pupils have had the opportunity to visit China in small groups to experience the Chinese language and culture directly. Scholarships are available to students from such sources as the Ministry of Education and Confucius Institutes in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. Twenty-eight Chinese book corners have been established in primary school libraries. This gives children and members of the local community the opportunity to read age-appropriate books in Chinese. Every year there is an opportunity to compete in an essay competition and an international Chinese language speech competition. This year ten school principals visited China to learn more about the Chinese system of education and to familiarise themselves with Chinese culture. China Culture days and workshops have been held in schools. Regional advisors employed by the Ministry of Education will continue the work Dr Han Xi has started.
In spite of all this good work, there is still much to be done to provide a greater number of New Zealand school students with opportunities to become proficient in the Chinese language. At present less than 5% of high schools teach Chinese and the numbers of secondary students learning Chinese in 2010 totalled only 2119 whereas 23,858 students were learning French and 14,000 Japanese. I feel optimistic about the future. Dr Han Xi and her assistants have laid the foundations of interest in learning Chinese in New Zealand schools. The benefit of her work and the support of Hanban will probably not be fully apparent until some years into the future when the close trade relationship with China and the increasing numbers of Chinese people living in New Zealand will provide further impetus for developing expertise in the Chinese language among young New Zealanders. Those who braved the inclement weather to attend Dr Han Xi’s presentation were treated to a thought provoking and informative treat.
“CHANGE THE CLOTHES”; YI GIRLS BEGIN THEIR ADULTHOOD (from George Mills)
In the mountainous Liangshan area in Yunnan Province, a ceremony, known as “Sha Laluo” in the Yi dialect, meaning taking off a baby skirt and putting on an adult one, has been observed for many generations. Before the ceremony, girls wear red and white skirts. Afterwards, they will wear long skirts divided in three parts, of which the middle is black and blue. Instead of wearing one ponytail, their hair will be made into two braids with embroidered handkerchiefs. Additionally, they will also begin to wear earrings. After the ceremony, young ladies can walk freely on the streets, watch horse races and even date men. The time of the ceremony usually occurs between the ages of 15 to 17. It depends on each girl’s situation. An elderly person picks an auspicious date for the ceremony. The ceremony symbolizes that the girls have become women. Mothers will prepare new skirts and other colourful ornaments for the ceremony. On the day of the ceremony, the family will prepare food for the guests. The guests arrive early in the morning, but according to custom, males are not permitted to attend the ceremony. Only girls and female relatives are invited. The ceremony varies in different regions. In some regions, during the ceremony, some women say amusing things to the girl. In other regions, the ceremony is filled with songs and laughter. The woman who presides over the ceremony asks the girl who she loves and what kind of man she prefers: a lazy or a hardworking one, or an honest or a dishonest one. The girl always keeps quiet in the face of the questions, and sits shyly with her head down. The girl who sits beside her answers all the questions for her. At last, the woman sings a song with the words: “You should wear the silver medal yourself, the bead chains made by your relatives and choose your lover yourself.” Then, a woman is invited to do the girl’s hair. The ponytail is changed into two braids to show that the girl is a now mature woman. At the end, the girl puts on earrings and a long skirt. Then the “Sha Lahuo” ceremony reaches its climax. Only when the ceremony is finished can the men take part in the banquet. Everyone sits on the floor and enjoys the food prepared for the ceremony. From that day on, the girl has officially come of age and can date men, and get married. (Cultural-China; lightly edited)
CHINA CENTRAL TELEVISION (CCTV) CHINESE BRIDGE COMPETITION 2011 (from Luke Qin 秦瞳)
The 4th Chinese Bridge Competition is being held by China Central Television in conjunction with Hanb
an (Confucius Institute Headquarters) during 15 May and 28 August 2011. It is rather fitting that I am writing this article on the day of the final which will broadcast live on CCTV4 at 11pm NZ time. I still remember vividly that I watched the live broadcast of last year’s final when I was holidaying in China and was totally amazed at the degree of language proficiency as well as cultural understanding of the finalists. However it still occurs to me at least that it is still a big deal in China if a foreigner could speak the language well and this is one of the very few occasions where I would love to prove myself wrong.
“The whole world is learning Chinese; Confucius’ words are going international…” is how the popular Chinese girl group S.H.E. would put it in their hit single incorporating a rap version of Chinese tongue twisters and ending with the punch line that “the world will listen to us carefully.” “Foreigners who can speak Chinese have a great future ahead of them” is how an American guy would put it, trying to impress the ladies at a famous Speed-dating TV Show in China. Scripted or not, there is a degree of truth in both statements and I have no doubt that the lovely boys and girls I met at the Chinese Bridge Competition held at Victoria University earlier this year will all have a big future ahead of them and they will be listened to carefully.
It gives me great heart that 4 Asia New Zealand Foundation Young Leaders are having a Yum Char session in Wellington early next month and have thrown down the gauntlet that only Chinese will be used the whole way through. At the end of the day it is our responsibility to make sure that Kiwi kids understand that China is more than just “OMG, Kung fu Panda’s dad is a goose!” and there is a future to be created together. Maybe the Principals of the primary and secondary schools can start us on this?
MANDARIN CORNER 汉语角 3.15pm – 4.30pm Saturdays during school terms
Mandarin Corner currently meets Saturdays (excluding school holidays), 3.15-4.30 pm at the Seminar Room, 20 Kelburn Parade, Victoria University of Wellington. There is a topic for each session to stimulate interest.
All welcome. Gold coin donation.
Four sessions in September: 3 September – Sanmao (a comic and author), 10 September – Moon Festival
17 September – Family Relations 家庭关系, 24 September – Baduanjin Qigong (Eight Pieces of Brocade) 八段锦气功
Contact: Ellen Yang, 473-7558, 027-4756888, [email protected].
CHINESE FILM 中国电影 Date: Wednesday 28 September Time: 7.00pm – 9:30pm
Venue: Committee Room One, Wellington City Council, 101 Wakefield Street. Gold coin donation.
Shower (洗澡), director Zhang Yang, starring: Jiang Wu, Zhu Xu, Pu Cunxin (姜武, 朱旭, 濮存昕), 92 minutes
Shenzhen businessman, Da Ming, goes home to Beijing when he thinks his father has died. He finds his father hard at work at the family’s bathhouse (the false message was a ruse of Da’s mentally-handicapped, exuberant brother, Er Ming, to get Da home). Da stays a couple days, observing his father being social director, marriage counsellor, and dispute mediator for his customers and a boon companion to Er. Da is caught between worlds: the decaying district of his childhood and the booming south where he now lives with a wife who’s not met his family. When Da realizes his father’s health is failing and the district is slated for razing, he must take stock of family and future. (www.imdb.com/title/tt0215369/) Preceded by a documentary 7:00 – 7:30pm.
CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE NEWS (from Director LUO Hui)
The Confucius Institute at VUW has recently signed an agreement with Hanban to host three Chinese Proficiency Tests every year. In 2011, students of Chinese in the Wellington region will be able to register for the following tests: HSK (for adults) Level 1-6 on 4 December; YCT (for intermediate and secondary students) Level 1-4 on 12 November; BCT (Business Chinese) Written & Oral Tests on 6 November. These standard tests administered by Hanban (comparable to TOEFLE and IELTS in English) are perfect benchmarks for students’ level of Chinese proficiency and useful credentials for students who wish to apply for Chinese academic programmes both in and outside China. The CI at VUW plans to offer relevant training courses for test candidates in October. Please visit www.victoria.ac.nz/ci for more information.
A gentle reminder for a unique CI cultural event: On Tuesday 13 September, CPA Orchestra will be joined by 10 guest 
musicians to present a unique Chinese theme concert in celebration of the ‘Mid-Autumn’ Festival. The programme features Butterfly Lovers (Liang Zhu), compositions by Jack Body and Shen Nalin, and Shanghai jazz. Venue: 50 The Esplanade, Houghton Bay. Dinner from 6pm. Concert at 7.50pm. Tickets: $37 (Dinner included). Reservations are essential. Please phone 04 387-9853. For details and updates on CI news and events, please visit www.victoria.ac.nz/ci.
MEETING DATES FOR THE REST OF 2011
October 19, Wednesday 5.45pm: Mr Chris Elder, “Reflections on China”
November 16, Wednesday 5.45pm: Mr David Feickert, “Mine Safety in China: Lessons for New Zealand”
SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE: CHINA TAKES A PRAGMATIC STANCE (from George Mills)
At the 23 July ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bali, China and ASEAN agreed on a set of guidelines to better implement their 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). This set of guidelines promises to narrow the disputes over territorial sovereignty in the Sea. This development at the ARF is considered a big step towards the peaceful resolution of the dispute. The guidelines will facilitate cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. This will serve the interest of all parties in a pragmatic manner. China’s acceptance of the guidelines proposed by ASEAN marks a significant change of approach without fundamentally altering Beijing’s South China Sea policy. To implement the DOC, China and ASEAN countries are pledging to carry out a series of cooperative projects pending the final settlement of the boundary dispute. While claimant countries are increasing their search for energy to fuel their domestic economic growth, the joint development of oil and gas will help to reduce the pressure and achieve mutual benefits. In the meantime, China will also have a role to play by offering funding and technology to explore oil and gas in the deep sea. China can also take initiatives to cooperate in the areas of marine environmental protection, scientific research, navigation safety, search and rescue, as well as the combating of transnational crimes. It is clear from China’s agreement to adopt the guidelines on the DOC that Beijing values its relationship with ASEAN. With the full implementation of the China-ASEAN free trade agreement, the value of bilateral trade in the first six months of this year has reached US$171 billion — one tenth of China’s total during this period. (By Yang Fang, Associate Research Fellow with the Maritime Security Programme at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; edited).
CHINA’S HEALTH SERVICE WELCOMES TWO NEW ZEALAND COMPANIES (from Joy Bickley-Asher)
Elderly people leaving hospital in Tianjin city will benefit from a new joint New Zealand-China initiative aimed at reducing the burden of long term hospital stays. Healthcare New Zealand, which has been building relationships with China for several years, plans to train Chinese caregivers to work with elderly people in their homes after they have left hospital. Essentially, Healthcare of NZ will be sharing their procedures, policies and training information to allow the Chinese to work with their own people. The managing director of HealthCare NZ Peter Haussman recently visited China with a Wellington City Council delegation and said that it was a high-value experience; being part of that delegation gave him access to senior government officials he wouldn’t otherwise have had. Six Chinese government agencies are involved in the Tianjin Elderly Investment Company with which Healthcare NZ hopes to finalise joint venture contracts.
People with diabetes and obesity in Taiyuan city will benefit from another joint New Zealand-China initiative aimed at reducing the burden of chronic conditions. International Medical Centres (IMC) of Christchurch is setting up a clinic with the Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Patients with chronic health conditions will be able to seek advice from both Chinese and New Zealand experts. The director of IMC, Bruce Ulrich says that the initiative has the potential to be New Zealand’s biggest joint venture in China so far.
Sources: www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2011/august-2011/08/china’s-elderly-to-receive-nz-care.aspx and Michael Forbes, Dominion Post, Wednesday 13 July 2011
DISPLAY TABLE
Members are reminded of the comprehensive display table at the entrance of Connolly Hall for each meeting. This is conscientiously arranged by Committee Member Ben Fon. The table features a range of books, journals, magazines and DVDs about China which members are welcome to borrow and return; or to take away to keep, for a small donation. Please remember to record your details on the sheet provided at the table. Regularly on display are recent issues of “Beijing Review” and “China Today”. These two magazines can be taken freely without any need of record.
