Conferences & Meetings \>\> In China

Real Estate Investment World China, Shanghai

Topics including business models, capital sources and investment strategies will be discussed at this real estate development, investment and finance forum for developers, investors, funds and asset managers.

Date: April 15-18

Venue: The Ritz Carlton Shanghai

Website: terrapinn.com

Beijing International Technology Transfer Congress

Focusing on technology transfer and international technology cooperation, the theme for this year's event is "Beyond the borders: Drive innovation to win". The congress will feature 40 distinguished speakers from more than 30 countries and about 300 attendees including Chinese professionals and overseas technology managers.

Date: April 24-27

Venue: Beijing International Hotel Convention Centre

Website: www.britishchamber.cn

The 6th China Green Companies Annual Summit, Kunming

Held by the China Entrepreneur Club and the Kunming city government, this year's summit offers themed forums and case study panels on a series of topics concerning the transformation of China's economic development. In the themed forums, renowned company leaders, economists and foreign experts will share their views on how to achieve sustainable development in this shifting world.

Date: April 20-22

Venue: To be confirmed

Website: www.daonong.com

The 10th China International Food Industry and Food Export Exhibition, Qingdao

With the theme 'Experience world food culture, promote green natural health', the fair offers a platform to display achievements, cultivate brands and meet others in the industry.

Last year, 121 companies from 12 foreign countries including Germany and Italy, and about 300 domestic companies took part in the exhibition.

Date: April 27-29

Venue: Qingdao International Exhibition Center

Website: www.food-stock.com

Conferences & Meetings \>\> In the US

National Chinese Language Conference, Boston

Dedicated to new ideas and effective practices in the field of Chinese language teaching and learning and Sino-US educational exchange, the conference will deal with the latest approaches to teaching that incorporate culture, technology and international exchange.

Date: April 7 to April 9

Venue: 110 Huntington Avenue, Boston

Website: asiasociety.org

China's Investment Surge in Silicon Valley, California

Silicon Valley's dynamic high tech market attracts a lot of Chinese firms and investors as they expand their businesses overseas. During the forum, experts and business leaders will explore the latest trends emerging from Chinese investment into Silicon Valley.

Date: May 23

Venue: San Jose Hilton

Website: asiasociety.org/northern-california

Culture \>\> In China

Keren Ann 2013 Live Tour Beijing Concert, Beijing

Hear New York and Paris-based musician Keren Ann, an artist with many identities: singer, composer and songwriter. Keren, who plays guitar, piano and clarinet, has released six solo albums and many of her songs have been performed by internationally acclaimed artists and featured in films and television series.

Date: April 14

Venue: M-Space of Wukesong Arena

Website: www.theatrebeijing.com

ShanghART H-Space Foundational Work, Shanghai

Focusing on conveying the artists' attitudes, strategies and aesthetic choices when they create paintings, the show depicts a great variety of individual idiosyncratic styles. The group exhibition introduces characteristics of well-known artists including Ding Yi, Shen Fan and Xue Song.

Date: March 9-April 14

Venue: ShanghART H-Space

Website: www.shanghartgallery.com

Culture \>\> In the US

Front Row: Chinese American Designers, New York

Guest-curated by designer Mary Ping, the show will demonstrate the unique visions of 16 Chinese-American designers, showing the origins of their careers and development of signature styles, as well as their relationship to the concepts of New York and Asia.

Date: April 26 to Sept 29

Venue: The Museum of Chinese in America

Website: www.mocanyc.org

Diplomatic pouch

Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao met Edwin Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, in Beijing on Tuesday, and pledged to enhance China-US cooperation at local levels, China's Foreign Ministry reported. Lee said the city of San Francisco will make positive efforts in promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation with China in culture and science.

The US embassy in China is getting all jazzed up, at least on its website. A series of videos with music stars including Herbie Hancock, Anat Cohen, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Abiah, has been produced by the US State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs, in anticipation of International Jazz Day on April 30 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chinese Consul-General for Chicago Zhao Weiping recently met Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and attended a pre-mission briefing for the Wisconsin trade delegation that arrives in China on April 12. Walker said China had already become a key partner of Wisconsin, and he looked forward to the upcoming China trip to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in many fields. He also welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Wisconsin and said he expected more Chinese students to come to study in Wisconsin.

On his Wisconsin trip, Zhao also met Paul Soglin, mayor of Madison, the capital city. Soglin said that in recent years the number of Chinese nationals and students in Madison has been growing, testimony to the ever closer relations between Madison and China. Zhao also met with leaders of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce.

Bruce Applebaum, 2012-13 English Language Fellow embedded at Suzhou University, presented a workshop about critical thinking for educators, education officials, exchange program alumni and students recently at the US consulate in Shanghai. More than 60 participants examined critical-thinking approaches, explored classroom techniques and debated differences in approach between the United States and China. This innovative workshop challenged prevalent methodologies and coaxed participants out of their comfort zones.

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

(China Daily 04/05/2013 page23)