Our next meeting is the
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday, 16 March 2011, at 5.45 pm
Connolly Hall
Guildford Terrace, off Hill Street, Thorndon, Wellington
(Car park up Guildford Tce beside Hall)
followed by
HE Mr David Huebner, US Ambassador
speaking on
“Managing a Law Firm in China Prior to Becoming Ambassador in New Zealand”
President Obama nominated David Huebner (Heeb-ner) as Ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa in October of 2009. Ambassador Huebner presented his credentials to the New Zealand Governor-General on December 9, 2009.
Before being posted to New Zealand, Ambassador Huebner was a partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, where he headed the law firm’s China Practice and International Disputes Practice. Based in Shanghai, he specialized in international arbitration and mediation and handled a wide range of matters across the Pacific Rim region.
Previously, the Ambassador was chairman of the international law firm Coudert Brothers and an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law.
Ambassador Huebner has long been active in civic, non-profit, and educational activities, chairing the California Law Revision Commission, serving as president of the Los Angeles Quality & Productivity Commission, and being a founding board member of the national Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
A native of Pennsylvania and long-time resident of California, Ambassador Huebner is a summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University. He is also a graduate of the Yale Law School.
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
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society Inc. will be held on Wednesday, 16th March 2011 at 5.45 pm at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington.
Agenda
Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting, held on 17th March 2010
President’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Election of Officers and Committee
Appointment of Auditor
General Business
Nominations are invited for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and seven Committee members. The following current members are prepared to serve for another year:
President: Bernie Richmond
Immediate Past President: Douglas Day
Vice President: Ray Brownrigg
Secretary: Bruce Asher
Treasurer: Doreen Launder
Committee: Bing Fon, Gregory Ford, Rosemary Jones,
Sadie Ng, Elaine Richmond,
Ellen Chuan Yang
Nominations should be made on the attached form, to be sent to the Secretary. Proxy forms can be obtained from the Secretary.
MEETING DATES FOR 2011
April 20, Wednesday 5.45pm: Associate Professor Val Lindsay, “Service Success in Asia: Spotlight on China”
May 18, Wednesday 5.45pm: Dr Paul McDonald, “Contrasting Leadership Styles in China”
May 27-29: National Conference, Wellington
June 15, Wednesday 5.45pm: The Aroha String Quartet, “Our Story and Our Music”
July 17, Sunday 2.30pm: Dr James Liu, “Chinese Indigenous Psychology”
August 17, Wednesday 5.45pm: Dr Han Xi, “Exciting Developments in the Study of Chinese”
September 21, Wednesday 5.45pm: HE Mr Xu Jianguo, PRC Ambassador.
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”
CHINESE NEW YEAR BANQUET
A record breaking 134 members and friends welcomed in the Year of the Rabbit at the fully packed Dragons Restaurant on Sunday evening, 13th February. It was a most lively and successful evening.
Official guests included HE Ambassador Xu Jianguo and his wife Mme Ni Li, Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and her husband Alistair Nicholson, and the two Cultural Attaches from the Embassy, Mme Olga Wang and Ms Han Lixin.
Once again we were pleased to see present four former New Zealand Ambassadors to China: Lindsay Watt (1985-90), Michael Powles (1990-93), Chris Elder (1993-98) and Peter Adams (1998-2001); and Wen Chin Powles (wife of Michael), former NZ Consul-General in Shanghai.
Also attending as official representatives were Ian McKinnon (Deputy Mayor); Graeme Waters, Rebecca Needham, Tony Clark and Daniel Wai-Poi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade); Luo Hui and Chen Ben (Confucius Institute); Steven Young (New Zealand Chinese Association); Esther and David Fung, and Lynette Shum (Wellington Chinese Association); Chris Lipscombe (Wellington Xiamen Association), Linda Zhang and Zian Chen (China and New Zealand Business Council).
Between courses of the delicious meal were brief addresses from Ambassador Xu, Mayor Celia and President Bernie. Our traditional quiz was presented with zest as usual by quizmaster Douglas Day. Vice President Ray Brownrigg’s table, a blend of academics, engineer and Chinese experts, was deservedly the winner.
Our thanks to the Chinese Embassy for donating the wine and quiz prizes and to Suny Xia for the photography.
View all photos at: picasaweb.google.com/WGTNZCFS/2011NewYearBanquet?authkey=Gv1sRgCJO91LGso5rgLQ&feat
MANDARIN CORNER 汉语角 3.15pm – 4.30pm Saturdays during school terms
Victoria University of Wellington, Seminar Room, 20 Kelburn Parade. Gold coin donation.
Open to all ages, all levels. One to one or small groups.
Four sessions in March:
5 March – International Women’s Day 国际妇女节 12 March – Tree-planting Day 植树节
19 March – Hand Signals and Posture 手势和体语 26 March – Talking about Chopsticks 话说筷子
Contact: Ellen Yang (04) 473-7558，[email protected]
CHINESE FILM + MANDARIN CORNER – New Venue with combined activities
Mezzanine Meeting Room, Wellington Central Library 6.00pm – 8.30pm
Friday 11 March
6.00pm – Mandarin Corner 汉语角 6.30pm – Documentary: Tea Culture (茶文化)
7.00pm – Chinese feature film: The Queen of Cooking 豫菜皇后 （Yu Cai Huang Hou)
Director: Han Wanfeng. Strring: Mu Tingting, Zhang Bin, Cai Xiaoyi, Liu Yuhan. Chunxi, a village girl vows to become a famous chef of Henan Cuisine. Confronted with the lure of fame and gain, Chunxi wins the “Queen of Cooking: title with her honesty and dignity. English subtitles, 90 minutes.
Friday 25 March
6.00pm – Mandarin Corner 汉语角 6.30pm – Chinese feature film: The Knot 云水谣 (Yun Shui Yao)
Director: Yin Li. Starring: Chen Kun, Xu Ruoxuan and Li Bingbing. This popular film is about innocent and beautiful love in the time of war. A very touching and moving story. Excellent acting. English subtitles, 110 minutes.
Tea and biscuits provided. Donations are welcome.
Contact: Ellen Yang 杨川 (04) 473-7558，[email protected]
NZCLA AGM Please note the NZ Chinese Language Association AGM will be held in WCC Committee Room 1 at 7pm on Thursday 31st March. Dr Luo Hui of the Confucius Institute will be the guest speaker. All welcome.
CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE IN WELLINGTON
The Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, officially launched by the Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping in June last year, will commence its full operations with an opening ceremony on 24 March 2011, with a concert performed by New Purple Forbidden City Orchestra, China’s finest traditional music ensemble. The opening ceremony will be followed by an inaugural Chinese Arts Festival from 24 March to 6 May, featuring a photography exhibition, a film festival, lectures and poetry readings.
An important initiative in the development of academic, educational, economic and cultural relations between China and New Zealand, the Confucius Institute will provide a platform for meeting the significant interest in knowledge and skills related to China and in Chinese language and culture in Wellington and beyond.
The Confucius Institute is a project of partnership between Victoria University and Xiamen University. Victoria University has appointed Dr Luo Hui (pictured left) as the Director of Confucius Institute. Dr Luo teaches at the School of Languages & Cultures, with research interests in Chinese literature, film, and literary translation.
Film Festival ‘Country/City/Home’, organised by the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, is the first Chinese film festival in NZ to focus on issues of urbanization, urban life, human migration, and the environment in today’s China. The festival features six films by acclaimed and emerging Chinese filmmakers – Liu Hao, Li Fangfang, Du Haibin, Jia Zhangke and Lixin Fan. It opens with Liu Hao’s new film, Addicted to Love (Lao Na), at Paramount at 8pm, 8 April, with the filmmaker in attendance. It continues on 9-10 April with multiple screenings at Paramount and City Gallery. Tickets will be available at the venue.
Photography Festival An exhibition of contemporary Chinese photography on the same theme will be held at St James Theatre Gallery (6 April–6 May). A reception for both the film festival and art exhibition will take place in St James Theatre at 5-8 pm, 8 April. All welcome.
NEW MEMBERS
A warm welcome to the following new members: JD Dallas, Jim Guo, Ke Lin & Yiwei Meng, Peter Lapsley, Dana Macdiarmid, Luke Qin, Lynette Shum and Jin Wang.
CHINA AIMS FOR A GREEN FUTURE
Hopes for a cleaner future for China are rising ahead of a national blueprint to tackle pollution, waste and champion renewable technology. The five-year plan, due in March, is being hailed as the greenest strategy document in the country’s history.
An army of cadres, officials and academics have spent years laying the groundwork for the plan – the 12th since Mao Zedong started Soviet- style strategising in 1953. It has never been more important to the global environment. China is the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, number one energy user and arguably the most polluted nation on earth.
The final document will include steps to curb pollution, promote clean technology and initiate an environment tax, it is understood. Beijing will blaze further along the trail towards a low-carbon economy. Its wind power generating capacity has doubled annually for four years and in 2010 became yet another field in which China surpassed the US to become number one. Seven of the planet’s top 10 solar power makers are now Chinese.
The country’s high-speed rail network – non-existent in 2008 – will be bigger than the rest of the world combined within two years. (from “The Guardian Weekly”)
2011 NZCFS NATIONAL CONFERENCE – WELLINGTON MAY 27-29
Wellington Branch will be hosting the National Conference of NZCFS Inc over the weekend of May 27-29, 2011. The venue will be the Wellington City Council Chambers. The theme of the Conference is China & NZ: The Next Decade indicating an emphasis on looking forward to the future of the friendship between our two countries. The Conference will open at 6pm on Friday evening, with the formalities being followed by a guest speaker and refreshments. Then on Saturday 7 or 8 speakers will be followed by an evening banquet. Sunday morning will be occupied by the society Annual General Meeting, followed by a National Executive Meeting in the afternoon.
The registration fee will be $95 ($105 after 30 April), plus $35 for the optional Saturday Banquet. This includes a welcome function on the Friday evening, morning tea and lunch on both Saturday and Sunday, and afternoon tea on Saturday. We hope to have a brochure and registration form available by mid-March. These will be emailed to all branches and Wellington members, and will also be posted on the website.
SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS
Subscriptions for 2011 are now due. Please use the attached form. We prefer that you fill in all the details on the subscription form each year to confirm that we have your correct details.
NZCFS DISCOVER CHINA TOUR – 9 cities, 18 days, 13-30 April 2011
There are a few places left for this exciting tour. Bookings close early March. If anyone is interested please contact tour leader Royden Smith [email protected], phone (Nelson) 03 5476608. Full itinerary is on our website page https://nzchinasociety.org.nz/1260/discover-china-tour-april-2011/
BOOK CORNER (from Douglas Day)
Non Fiction
Culinaria China, by Katrin Schlotter and Elke Spielmans, H.F. Ullman Publishing, 2009.
Takes the reader on a 483 page culinary voyage of discovery in introducing the country’s main styles of regional cuisine. This remarkable book, like a Chinese banquet, is a feast of variety and surprises.
Fiction
Movement in Peking by Lin Yutang, Cultured Lotus, Singapore, 2005.
Describes family life in China from the Boxer uprising to the Japanese invasion.
EARTHQUAKE
Wellington Branch sends best wishes and sympathies to those in Christchurch affected by the terrible earthquake. Our thoughts are with you.
