Conferences & Meetings \>\> In China

International Conference on Computer and Communication Devices, Zhengzhou

Aims to lay the foundations of a new principled approach to computer and communication devices. It will foster cross-pollination between different research fields, expose and discuss innovative theories, frameworks, methodologies, tools, and applications.

Date: June 2-3

Venue: Selected places

Website: http://www.icccd.org

International Conference on Advanced Materials Design and Mechanics, Xiamen

Aims to provide an international platform for researchers, engineers, and industrial professionals worldwide to present their research results and development activities in the fields of advanced materials design, materials engineering research, manufacturing technology and processing.

Date: June 5-7

Venue: Selected places

Website: http://www.icamdm.org/index.html

Offshore Technology Asia, Shanghai

Topics include technological advances in upstream exploration and production; the role of the floating production storage and offloading subsea system; offshore supply vessel; pipeline and seismic technology; the management of the offshore industry and its social, economic and environmental impact.

Date: June 5-8

Venue: Selected places

Website: http://www.otanet.org

Global Real Estate Institute, Shanghai

It brings together decision makers of global real estate investors, financiers and Chinese developers to discuss the challenges and opportunities created by the market correction in China.

Date: June 6-7

Venue: The Portman Ritz-Carlton

Website: http://www.globalrealestate.org/mygri/Chinagri/2012

Building Solar China Exhibition and Conference, Guangzhou

The conference showcases integrated solar and smart technology solutions for buildings. It is designed to be a platform to focus on smart solar building solutions, including building integrated photovoltaics.

Date: Exhibition June 9-12; Conference June 9-10

Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex

Website: http://www.buildingsolarchina.com

Conferences & Meetings \>\> In The US

Enlightenment and Chinese Civil Society, Boston

Xu Jilin will talk about Wang Yuanhua and Li Shenzhi, known as "Southern Wang, Northern Li", considered some of the most distinguished scholars and spiritual leaders among Chinese intellectuals in the past 30 years.

Date: May 3

Venue: CGIS South, Room S050, Harvard University

Website: http://fairbank.fas.harvard.edu

Culture \>\> In China

Russell Sherman, Beijing

Sherman is considered one of the most eminent pianists in the US, particularly known for his recordings of Liszt piano music and Beethoven's sonatas.

Date: April 28

Venue: Concert Hall of National Center for the Performing Arts

Website: http://www.theatrebeijing.com

Joseph Saddler, Beijing

Saddler, known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip-hop musician and DJ. He is considered one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJ-ing, cutting, and mixing.

Date: April 28

Venue: Yugong Yishan Club

Website: http://www.theatrebeijing.com

Culture \>\> In The US

Duncan Campbell, Boston

Campbell, from Australian National University will be the speaker. It is part of the China Humanities Seminar, which covers the whole span of Chinese experience predating the modern era.

Date: May 7

Venue: CGIS North Building, Room K262, Harvard University

Website: http://fairbank.fas.harvard.edu

Zhu Boliang, Boston

Zhu, a Harvard China scholar, will be the speaker. The event is part of the Postdoctoral Fellow Presentation.

Date: May 8

Venue: CGIS South, Room S153, Harvard University

Website: http://fairbank.fas.harvard.edu

Diplomatic pouch

China's Ambassador to the US Zhang Yesui applauded the growth of Chinese-language learning at the fifth National Chinese Language Conference in Washington. Organized by the Asia Society and the College Board, the National Chinese Language Conference is the largest annual gathering of K-16 teachers, policymakers and school leaders with a focus on Chinese in North America.

Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, and Vishakha Desai, president of Asia Society, co-hosted an opening ceremony during which former US senator and current Georgetown University professor Chuck Hagel, co-chair of President Barack Obama's 100,000 Strong Initiative Advisory Committee, discussed the 100,000 Strong Initiative's efforts to prepare US students for success in the global economy and workforce with study in China. Xu Lin, director-general of Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters, spoke about the organization's initiatives to support the teaching of Chinese language and culture, and the former US diplomat John Negroponte joined Zhang in speaking about the importance of US-China relations and strategies for collaboration.

US Ambassador to China Gary Locke recently hosted a roundtable on intellectual property protection, an issue that has been a long-time irritant in relations between China and the West. The Motion Picture Association hosted a reception (with a showing of the 3-D version of Titanic), and Locke saluted the association for promoting "better content protection and a worldwide creative industry, not just around the world, but also here in China. I am really confident that China will pay more and more attention as its cultural industries continue to develop and grow."

New York-based performance artist Duke Riley capped his recent trip to China this spring by staging a boat race to re-enact a legendary shengxiao race, which legend says determined the animals' order in the Chinese zodiac. The project was commissioned by Smart Power and administered by the Bronx Museum of Art with US State Department funding. School children designed pennants that flew on each boat, and local artisans created costumes for singers who rode with the gondoliers and told the story of the animals in song. Most of the boats carried live animals, and this year the horse's boat beat the rest of the pack.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/27/2012 page23)