Conferences & Meetings \>\> In China

The Fourth BankTech Executive Summit 2013, Hong Kong

The 4th BankTech Executive Summit 2013, carrying the theme of "Growth and Thrive Amidst Adversity", will showcase the latest technologies available today alongside conference sessions presented by industry experts from reputable organizations.

Date: Jan 29

Venue: MRS221, Level 2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Wanchai

Website: www.mig-events.com

China International Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition, Beijing

An international tackle trade show dedicated to globalizing the trade of fishing products and outdoor gear.

Date: Feb 23-25

Venue: New China International Exhibition Center

Website: www.chinaexhibition.com

Conferences & Meetings \>\> In the US

China Bilateral Investment Treaty Negotiations Briefing, Washington DC

The briefing, by the US-China Business Council, will have Daniel Bahar, director of Investment Affairs at the Office of the US Trade Representative, and Michael Tracton, director of the Office of Investment Affairs at the US State Department, provide an update on the state of negotiations and discuss key issues at play.

Date: Feb 6

Venue: US-China Business Council, 1818 N Street NW, Suite 200

Website: www.uschina.org/programs

Fashion Coterie/New York Women's Market Week, Winter

The Fashion Coterie/New York Women's Market Week is a major event for the clothing, footwear and fashion sector.

Date: Feb 1

Venue: New York

Website: www.ukti.gov.uk

IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging 2013, Burlingame

IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging is an event for all aspects of electronic imaging, from imaging systems to instrumentation, image processing and algorithms. Topics include digital imaging, sensors and applications, 3D imaging, multimedia, image processing, visualization and perception, and visual communications.

Date: Feb 3-7

Venue: Burlingame, CA, United States

Website: electronicimaging.org

Culture \>\> In China

Things From the Gallery Warehouse 5 Group Exhibition, ShanghART H-Space, Shanghai

ShanghART presents Things from the Warehouse 5 as part of a continuing program. Since 2009, a series of exhibitions have made it possible for large-scale installations that have been in storage to be viewed by the general public.

Date: Jan 25-Mar 4

Venue: ShanghART H-space, Bldg 18, No.50 Moganshan Rd., Shanghai

Website: www.shanghartgallery.com

National Theatre of China Big Family Classics in NCPA, Beijing

The Big Family is a legendary story about gratitude, resentment, life, death, love and hatred shown through a mixture of history and reality. It is both impressive and thought provoking.

Date: Jan 25-Feb 3

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Website: http://www.chncpa.org

Opera: Les Contes de Hoffmann, Beijing

NCPA's production of Offenbach's opera.

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Dates: Jan 31-Feb 3

Website: http://www.chncpa.org

Culture \>\> In the US

Bound Unbound: Lin Tianmiao, New York

The first major US exhibition of leading Chinese artist Lin Tianmiao, Bound Unbound surveys the past 20 years of her captivating installations and sculpture. Through exquisite handwork using thread winding, embroidery, and sculptural processes, Lin Tianmiao has explored her interest in the human form.

Date: Until Jan 27

Venue: Asia Society, 725 Park Ave

Website: asiasociety.org/new-york/events

South Coast Repertory: Chinglish, a Visions and Voices Event, Cosa Mesa

Named by Time as the best new American play of 2011, David Henry Hwang's Broadway hit Chinglish comes to southern California. Daniel is an American businessman whose sign company is in trouble. But he has a great idea: score a fat contract in China, where signs for English-speaking tourists are mangled by hilarious mistranslations.

Date: Jan 30

Venue: Segerstrom Stage, Cosa Mesa, CA

Website: web-app.usc.edu

The shift in mainland-Taiwan relationswith Richard Bush, New York

Richard Bush, a senior fellow at Brookings, will discuss his new book at a National Committee program.

Date: Feb 7

Venue: 71 West 23rd Street Suite 1901

Website: asiasociety.org

Express Your Inner Snake: Celebrate Lunar New Year at MOCA, New York

This popular annual event will include family-friendly tours of the Museum of Chinese in America, Lunar New Year walking tours in Chinatown and an array of drop-in arts and crafts activities throughout the day.

Date: Feb 2

Venue: 215 Centre Street, New York

Website: www.mocanyc.org

Diplomatic pouch

At this month's gala dinner celebrating the 15th anniversary of the US-China Education Trust, China's Ambassador to the US Zhang Yesui commended USCET's contribution to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries. He said educational exchanges are an important part of the relationship, and cooperation has been expanding quickly.

Zhang said educational exchange is a cause that has a long-term effect, and a little effort and input today will generate greater benefits for future generations.

Julia Chang Bloch, president of the USCET, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, former US secretary of labor Elaine Chao and more than 200 guests from the US administration, Congress, business community, media and think tanks attended the event. Founded in 1998, the trust promotes China-US relations through education and exchange.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan recently met with Thomas Pritzker, chairman of the US-based Hyatt Corporation and the Hyatt Foundation in Beijing. They exchanged views on China-US relations as well as the two countries' economic cooperation. In addition to his business interests, the wealthy executive is the chairman of the board of the Art Institute of Chicago, organized the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium and runs a family merchant bank with his cousins. Pritzker is also an honorary professor of history at Sichuan University in China, and for the past 30 years he has been leading archeological expeditions in the Western Himalayas. He is a trustee for the Center for Strategic and International Studies based in Washington.

The US consulate in Chengdu hosted Jane Hunter, a Fulbright lecturer at Sichuan University, for a public lecture last week after the US presidential inauguration. Her presentation was titled The Making of a President: Race, Culture and Family in the Career of Barack Obama. Hunter, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of history at Lewis & Clark University in Oregon, has been selected as a 2012-13 Fulbright scholar for the Distinguished Chairs Program and is spending her sabbatical teaching history in Chengdu. She is teaching courses in American studies to Chinese undergraduates and graduate students, and she plans to model the liberal arts perspective for these students by exposing them "to a pedagogy that is interactive, student-centered, and evidence-based".

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

(China Daily 01/25/2013 page23)