Conferences & Meetings \>\> In China

Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology Exhibition, Shanghai

Offers a range of products that include generic cabling, smart home and public facility management systems, safety and access controls, video and audio systems, intelligent sun shading systems and accessories, hotel intelligent systems and electrical engineering products.

Date: Sept 20-22

Venue: Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center

Website: www.chinaexhibition.com

China-ASEAN Expo, Nanning

This year's exposition focuses on science and technology cooperation, as well as the promotion of China-ASEAN trade and investment.

Date: Sept 21-25

Venue: Nanning International Convention & Exhibition Center

Website: eng.caexpo.org

Wine & Spirits Festival 2012, Shanghai

Promotes wine culture, provides insight on industry trends and suggests ways for sustainable development.

Date: Sept 26-Oct 2

Venue: Shanghai North Sichuan Road Park

Website: www.chinaexhibition.com

Conferences & Meetings \>\> In the US

US-China Investment Week

Focuses on Chinese private investment in the US. The event is designed to promote dialogue on Chinese inbound investment, while creating opportunities for relationship development and business exchange.

Date: Sept 20-29

Venue: Selected cities

Website: www.us-chinainvest.com

Global Workforce Symposium, Washington

Looks at trends in talent mobility, and how to develop policies that control costs and increase value for assignees.

Date: Oct 3-5

Venue: Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

Website: www.worldwideerc.org

National Committee on United States-China Relations Gala Dinner, New York

Provides a source of support for the committee, a non-partisan organization that seeks to promote better understanding between China and the US.

Date: Oct 8

Venue: The Plaza Hotel

Website: www.ncuscr.org/gala

Chinese Direct Investment in California, Los Angeles

Reports on the patterns and impacts of Chinese direct investment in California and brings together experts in China policy and foreign direct investment.

Date: Oct 11

Venue: To be decided

Website: www.asiasociety.org

Culture \>\> In China

Cats - A Chinese Version, Shanghai

In this rendering Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats, the Jellicle cats sing their songs in Chinese.

Date: Until Oct 9

Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater

Website: www.shgtheatre.com

The Alexandria Harmonizers Concert, Beijing

An international champion barbershop chorus from Alexandria, Virginia. They won their first Barbershop Harmony Society International gold medal in 1986 and have won the title three times since then.

Date: Sept 6

Venue: Forbidden City Concert Hall

Website: www.theatrebeijing.com

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo Show, Beijing

This all-male drag ballet corps will parody the conventions and cliches of romantic and classical ballets for Beijing audiences.

Dates: Sept 28-30

Venue: Mei Lanfang Grand Theater

Website: www.theatrebeijing.com

Culture \>\> In the US

Enlightened Beings: Buddhism in Chinese Painting, Washington

Focuses on four main categories of enlightened being: the Buddha himself; bodhisattvas, devoted to the salvation of all sentient beings; luohan, who protect the dharma or teachings of the Buddha; and chan (Zen) monks and lineage masters.

Date: Sept 1-Feb 24

Venue: Freer Gallery of Art

Website: www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/future.asp

Colors of the Universe: Chinese Hardstone Carving, New York

Offers a glimpse into stone carving, one of the oldest arts in China. Artifacts on display include jade, agate, turquoise, malachite, chalcedony, quartz, jasper and lapis lazuli.

Date: June 16-Jan 6

Venue: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Website: www.metmuseum.org/events/find-events

Chinese Gardens: Pavilions, Studios, Retreats, New York

This exhibition explores the rich interaction between pictorial and garden arts in China across more than 1,000 years.

Date: Aug 18-Jan 6

Venue: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Website: www.metmuseum.org/events/find-events

Diplomatic pouch

The US ambassador to China, Gary Locke, announced that the embassy would give $100,000 in emergency assistance for victims of extensive recent flooding in China's eastern and coastal provinces.

The US government delivered $50,000 to the Red Cross Society of China, and $50,000 to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. These funds will be used to provide immediate disaster help to affected people through the procurement and distribution of emergency relief supplies such as tents and blankets.

China's Ministry of Civil Affairs reports that floods and landslides after three typhoons this summer have resulted in more than 918 deaths, left 209 people missing, and displaced about 7.4 million people since mid-June. Reports indicate that flooding has destroyed 541,000 homes, and damaged a further 2.3 million.

Chongqing Normal University of China and the China-US Center at Rice University in Houston have agreed to strengthen their academic cooperation over the next five years.

The two signed a memorandum of understanding in Houston on Aug 20 to establish an alliance covering research, teaching and training educational personnel. The memorandum was signed by Zhou Zeyang, president of Chong-qing Normal University, Melinda Cotten, director of the Office of Sponsored Research, and Mason Tomson, director of the China-US Center.

"We have signed an agreement today to perform training sessions for advanced educational personnel and high school principals. I believe we enjoy great potential for further cooperation on an expansive array of areas," Zhou said.

The Chinese Consul General in San Francisco, Gao Zhansheng, and his wife Wang Yanlai hosted a dinner at their residence last week for the leaders of Rotary District 5160 and some of the field trip site hosts of a recent agricultural trip designed for the consulate staff.

"I thank all of you for your goodwill toward the Chinese people and the warm hospitality you showed in the three agricultural tours starting 2009," Gao said.

"About four years ago, following the tragic earthquake in Sichuan province, Rotary friends so generously provided $40,000 worth of shelter boxes for earthquake victims. That marks the beginning of our friendship."

Send embassy and consulate news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 08/24/2012 page23)