MADAME LI XIAOLIN’S VISIT
During Madame Li Xiaolin’s visit to Wellington as an advisor to Asia New Zealand Foundation your National Executive and Wellington Branch were fortunate to host a luncheon for her, Qing Boming, and Linda Wang on Friday 19 November. We were fortunate to also host the new Mayor of Wellington Celia Wade-Brown, Chinese Ambassador Xu Jianguo and his wife Madame Ni Li, representatives of Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Asia NZ Foundation and Sister Cities NZ. A very enjoyable occasion.
MEETING WITH MADAME LI XIAOLIN
Immediately following the luncheon the National Executive members met Madame Li and her party to discuss recent and future areas of co-operation between Youxie and ourselves. We were so pleased to learn that the arrangements for first recipient of The Margot Cornwall Scholarship are firming up and that Linda Wang of Youxie will study in New Zealand for six months next year.
GODWITS MIGRATION
The Auckland branch though President George Andrews, requested Madame Li’s support for the preservation of the migratory godwits feeding areas as they recover from their flight from New Zealand to Alaska to breed each year. These northern China mudflats near the China-Korean border are currently under the threat of industrialization.
VOLUNTERS IN CHINA
During our meeting, Madame Li promoted the idea of three weeks volunteer summer school teaching in a rural village by Kiwis with all costs met. The time would include a week of touring, part time teaching and experiencing life in a village. Our Language Committee under the leadership of Jenevere Foreman of Hamilton is looking to commence this with a trial. Contact Jenevere if you may be interested [email protected]
WELCOME AMBASSADOR XU
Prior to our luncheon with Madame Li, six National Executive members visited the new Chinese Ambassador, His Excellency Xu Jianguo and offer our support for his time in New Zealand. A great visit and Ambassador Xu was pleased to learn our 2011 Annual Conference will be in Wellington.
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEETING
Many important topics made for a very full day of discussions. We were pleased to learn of the very successful projects tour recently completed – thanks to leader Vice President Dave Bromwich. We also were informed by Past national president and Life Member, Bill Willmott how well the Prominent Persons and Leaders Delegation enjoyed the International Friendship Cities Conference in Shanghai and the Fourth Friendship Forum of Oceania countries in Nanchang. The Maori – China Friendship Association was also well represented which was very pleasing. We hope their representatives can attend our Conference in Wellington next year. After the Forum delegates toured of parts of Jiangxi Province which impressed and delighted everyone – it may be selected for a future Society tour as a result.
PIKE RIVER MINERS TRAGEDY
What a tragedy is the loss of 29 miners on the West Coast. All of us feel for the families involved. Our Whanganui Branch President, Dave Feickert, a coal mining safety expert, became a media commentator on mine safety during this terrible event.
WEB SITE UPGRADE
A special session during the National Executive meeting saw Christine Strickland and Ray Brownrigg of the Web Committee launch for us our up graded web site. Branches and National Committees can have more flexibility in putting material onto the web site. Do visit it and give feedback to your Branch Committee on how effective you find the new site. An idea for your next Branch Meeting could be to have a member who has mobile internet connections to show the Branch aspects of the new web site.
CHARITIES COMMISSION
As with quite a number of other national bodies, our Society has found that its major activities including that of friendship do not meet the Commission’s interpretation of a charity. Our lawyers have suggested we split our activities into two societies, one charitable and the remaining those activities that do not meet these criteria. This seems rather an overkill to achieve what the Commission is trying to do for we are faced with having a National Society for those activities where it is vital to have Charitable status for example, when we seek Government funding for projects in China, we can only receive such funding if we are a registered charitibleSociety.
Some of our main activities such as friendship and sister cities disqualify us currently as a charity as these are deemed to be for the benefit of members or not charitable (for the poor, education etc). Our tours and delegation activities also fall outside of the charitable interpretation. At the next National Executive meeting in February, a sub-committee of Alistair Shaw, National Secretary, Sally Russell and Royden Smith will report on how we as a Society could cope with such a dual organisation, for example, with us all members of both.
2011 CHINA DISCOVERY TOUR
Our travel agents report great levels of enquires and bookings are now flowing in for our April tour to the historic cities of Taiyuan, Pingyao and Zhenzhou, the wonders of Shaolin and the beauty of the mountains of Huashan – contact Royden Smith [email protected]
TARANAKI BRANCH OUT OF RECESS
Congratulations to the six members who have reactivated this long standing branch – we look forward to learning of your activities next year.
DUNEDIN BRANCH & PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
Recently former Mayor Peter Chin opened the Shanghai Photographic exhibition in the Southland Building Society Branch in George Street Dunedin.
THINKING OF THEM
Our thoughts and prayers are with three Society members who have had a major impact on our Society nationally and who are currently struggling with illnesses, Robin Brown, Trevor Linyard and Tom Newnham.
CHRISTCHURCH CHINESE EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
Judy Livingstone, Christchurch Branch President, and I attended a Family Fun event organized by the Chinese Community Committee that raised funds for the Sichuan Earthquake, and then reformed to assist Chinese families affected by the Canterbury earthquake. A well-attended event of music, cultural dances, games and dancing. City Councilors, Community Board Members and leaders of many Christchurch Chinese Societies enjoyed the event compared by Christchurch Committee member, Ted Zhang.
NORTHERN REGION MEETING
On November 14th, 15 members from Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua Branches had an excellent meeting in Hamilton arranged by Jenevere Foreman, concentrating principally on membership and other areas of common interest.
ENLIGHTMENT OF YI
Members interested in the study of Yi will enjoy The Enlightenment of Yi recently published in English (also a Chinese edition) and by Christchurch Branch Member, Dr Kaiwan Gan. Contact [email protected]
COMMUNITY POST
Wairarapa Branch Secretary reminds us of the NZ Post of postage free envelopes for community Societies e.g., for branch newsletters. Contact Don Simpson for more details [email protected]
Wishing you and yours a joyous and fruitful Christmas time and a safe holiday period
Eric Livingstone
National President
