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Dave Bromwich in China

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At the November 2022 meeting of the National Executive, Previous National President Dave Bromwich was appointed our society’s Special Envoy in China “Powers include the ability to facilitate dialogue with and enter into negotiations on behalf of the New Zealand China Friendship Society …. and do all those things that are needful to advance the reputation, resources, and capability of the Society in China”. 

He is in China at the moment. He’s been there for about three weeks, and will come back to New Zealand in June. He forwarded a report of his activities to date to the Senior Executive which is so interesting we thought it was of value to forward to our membership.

This report certainly gives us a good feel for the activities he’s involved in for our society, and in particular the doors his presence and name can open for us in China.

 

After Guangzhou, stopped over in Guilin, met with old colleagues from Guangxi Institute of Botany, with whom I have worked off and on for the last 25 years. Met with old friend from Guilin Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), and met the young woman who will replace him in the NZ relationship with Hastings. Future young people’s exchanges still open to their support (2016, 2017, 2018 had a series of visits between Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra and Guilin Children’s Palace, (funded by our society’s RAFE Fund).

Flew to Xi’an. Attended a Gong He forum and unveiling of a Rewi Alley Statue at Peihua University, the first private University in China, and of high stature today. I facilitated a NZ teacher there some years back. They have opened a Rewi Alley Commemoration Hall there, including a series of photos I provided covering our activity in Shaanxi – cooperative workshops, He Ming Qing scholars. Met a vice president of Xi’an FAO/Youxie if we need a connection there in the future.  Met Yang Yang and a new person at Shaanxi Provincial Women’s Federation. Met two of our HMQ scholars there. Did not go to Fengxian on this occasion.

Unveiling a statue of Rewi Alley at Peihua University, Xi’an
Unveiling a statue of Rewi Alley at Peihua University, Xi’an

 

Dave Bromwich at a seminar on promoting the spirit of Rewi Alley
Dave Bromwich at a seminar on promoting the spirit of Rewi Alley

 

Travelled to Baoji, visited the Changle Yuan, the old cave factory supported by Rewi Alley, opened in 1940. Most famously, a cotton mill, all hidden from Japanese bombers. Photos provided to Amy for Facebook. The factory museum just opened last year, with some good foot traffic visiting this site.

Train to Lanzhou then Shandan. Arrived after midnight. Just stayed two nights. Met with Leaders of the old Shandan Bailie School (SBS) and the new Bailie Vocational College (BVC). Report sent; teachers requested. They also have a new Memorial Hall of Bailie School history, including a record of the teachers provided from 1944 through to 2019, with a gap from 1952 to 1987, when Tom Newnham went back. After such a record of teacher placements, it would be sad to be unable to continue this. Their brief is to maintain relationships with NZ. Also, a new Rewi Alley Commemoration Hall there, very good!

Train to Lanzhou, where I stayed for four days. A forum on Rewi Alley’s spirit, where I was a guest speaker. Had a good relationship with the new Party secretary, and President. Met them both with Shi Hong and the new international relations officer to promote the proposal to establish an on-line cooperative training programme there as a continuation of the co-op workshops we delivered in Gansu and Shaanxi. An open response from them that they are considering.

NZCFS President Chris Lipscombe speaks at the forum in Lanzhou
NZCFS President Chris Lipscombe speaks at the forum in Lanzhou

 

Visited Lanzhou Resources and Environment Vocational Tech University at request of both Shandan BVC and Chen Jinming.  High level research into environment and impacts. I forwarded a project I designed with SBS and a technical college in Guangzhou in late 2019, looking for some traction with them.

Flew to Qingdao to support Chen Jinming there in relationships. Facilitated the inclusion of FAO, which enthusiastically received me. Qingdao and Auckland have a sister city relationship. A district of Qingdao is looking for a sister city relationship. Suggest a district of Auckland could be approached.

I kept open earlier plans to stopover in Shanghai on the way back to NZ on May 2 (today!), but in fact now return to Gansu to spend 3 weeks in Shandan, where they are desperate for a foreign face. They would like me to stay 3 months, or a year, but that long is not part of my programme for this year. Keep promoting the NZ teacher request please!

This was an overview of some key activity since last report.