Book about Hong Kong to be presented at the Ulyssus travel bookstore in Girona

Xavier Moret, author of the book "Días de Hong Kong" (Hong Kong days), will be presenting it on November 29th, 2013, at the renowned travel bookstore Llibreria Ulyssus in Girona. This book compiles the impressions of the author during a 2-month stay in the former British colony.

Right after the presentation of the book, Llibreria Ulyssus and the travel agency Viatges Viñolas are going to introduce their new partnership, through which they plan to organize further book presentations, talks, workshops and exhibitions for all the travelling fans. Llibreria Ulyssus and Viatges Viñolas can be found at the Cort Reial street, 3, in the old quarter of Girona.

[caption id="attachment_2779" align="aligncenter" width="231"] Inauguration of the partnership between Llibreria Ulyssus and Viatges Viñolas[/caption]

 

Chinese students visit the industrial colony of Cal Vidal in Puig-reig

From http://www.regio7.cat/bergueda/2013/11/19/estudiants-xinesos-visiten-cal-vidal/250294.html (in Catalan)

A group of Chinese architecture students have analysed the landscape and the arrangement of the former textile colony of Cal Vidal, in Puig-reig (Barcelona province). They were accompanied by Eusebi Casanelles, from the Museu Colònia Vidal, and  Miquel Vidal, doctor on architecture, professor at the Urban and Territorial Planning Department, of the master on Landscape Architecture. The goal of these Chinese students was to gather information on the evolution of the textile colonies along the Llobregat river and to include it in their study on the architecture of landscape of this particular communities.

 

International Seminar on the Identity and Development in the Global Era. A Comparative Approach: Asia & Europe

From http://www.casaasia.cat/actividad/detalle?id=212412 (in Catalan)

On November 25th, 2013 and on December 2nd, 2013 at 9 am the School of Architecture of Barcelona (Diagonal Avenue 649-651), the Tsinghua University (北京市海淀区清华大学) and Casa Àsia are organizing a free international seminar entitled "Identity and Development in the Global Era. A Comparative Approach: Asia & Europe".

The goal of this seminar is to study the identity of extreme land developments by comparing situations from Asia and Europe.

Programme

9.00 h - 9.15 h Welcome address by Ferran Sagarra, Director of the School of Architecture of Barcelona.

9.15 h - 9.45 h Seminar opening by Yan Banghua, Chinese Consulate-General in Barcelona

9.45 h - 10.30 h Barcelona & Beijing’ Identities Differences and Similarities, by Menene Gras Balaguer, Director of Culture and Exhibitions at Casa Àsia.

10.30 h - 12.00 h The contemporary Chinese landscape design, Zhu Yufan’s works: Kuangshan Garden of Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai and others – Part 1, Zhu Yufhan, landscape architect and Deputy Chair of Landscape Architecture at Tsinghua University, China

12.00 h - 12.30 h Coffee break

12.30 h - 14.00 h The contemporary Chinese landscape design, Zhu Yufan’s works: Kuangshan Garden of Chenshan Botanical Garden in Shanghai and others – Part 2, Zhu Yufhan, landscape architect and Deputy Chair of Landscape Architecture at Tsinghua University, China

14.00 h - 14.15 h Open discussion with Zhu Yufhan

15.30 h - 16.30 h The public space challenge in Chinese cities, urban landscape and spatial culture in Shanghai, by Maria José Masnou, architect and teacher of the Master's Course on Oriental Studies of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) of the the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

16.30 h - 16.45 h Open discussion with Maria José Masnou

16.45 h - 17.45 h Presentation on the course of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) Identity and Development in the Global Era. A Comparative Approach: Asia & Europe by Miquel Vidal, doctor on architecture, professor at the Urban and Territorial Planning Department, of the master on Landscape Architecture, founder and director of Ginna Kanda - International Forum for Extreme Cultural Landscapes Development - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

17.45 h - 18.00 h Open discussion with Miquel Vidal

18.30 h - 19.30 h Recorded presentation Chinese Tradition is a Distinctive Part of Landscape Architecture in the World (in Chinese with English subtitles) by Meng Zhaozhen, professor of the School of Landscape Architecture of the Beijing Forestry University and vice-president of the Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture

18.00 h - 19.30 h Closing remarks by Miquel Vidal and Zhu Yufhan

Hong Kong communications company Cronos sets in Barcelona

From http://www.lavanguardia.com/economia/20131124/54394458225/hong-kong-cronos-group-abre-oficina-en-barcelona.html (in Spanish)

Before the end of 2013 and backed by Invest in Catalonia, the office of the Catalan government to promote foreign investments in the regions, the Hong Kong communications company Cronos Group will open an office in the city of Barcelona. Cronos Group is a telecommunications provider that is already in 80 countries and that has chosen Barcelona as the see of their Spanish headquarters because of the business atmosphere brought by the annual Mobile World Congress organized in the Catalan capital. These new offices are expected to created around 25 new jobs.

Roundtable in Barcelona about the art of translation of Chinese literature

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=212399 (in English)

Chinese literature is getting an increasing attention in Spain, since the work of Chinese writers is becoming more and more common among the Spanish publishing companies and the books are appearing often in the shelves and windows of bookshops.

The putonghua or standard Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, but its richness, semantic ambiguity and complexity make it one of hardest languages to translate. Recently, and thanks to the work of a new wave of Catalan and Spanish translators, Chinese authors now can be read in Catalan and Spanish directly translated from the original version and not from translations from other languages, as it used to happen.

According to the organizers, this roundtable will allow attendants to hear directly from the specialists on this matter about the challenges posed by the translation of Chinese literature into Catalan and Spanish. All guests is a specialist in this field and will share with attendants their personal experience in translating classic and comtemporary Chinese literature.

Speakers:

• Dr. Chang Shiru, Director of Fundació Institut Confuci of Barcelona, Chair and Doctor in Hispanic Philology


• Carla Benet, translator, interpreter and teacher of Chinese. Fundació Institut Confuci of Barcelona


• Dr. Sara Rovira Esteva, translator, researcher and teacher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona


• Dr. Anne Hélène Suarez Girard, translator, researcher and teacher at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

This event will take place on Tuesday, November 26th, 2013 at the Casa Àsia Headquarters in Barcelona, at the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau (street Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167) and it will be presented by Rafael Bueno, Director of Politics and Society of Casa Àsia.

Free admission with limited capacity. Registration is needed before November 24th by sending your name, surname and ID/passport number to cnavarro.becarios@casaasia.es.

 

A Chinese fund provides 4.5 million € to Catalan water company

From http://www.diaridegirona.cat/economia/2013/11/21/fons-xines-aporta-4-milions/644582.html (in Catalan)

Xavier Doló, CEO of Clean Tech Dolo Group, will be able to produce and sell Hydromatch, the device invented by himself five years ago to produce drinking water from the of water vapor in the air, thanks to a Chinese fund. Clean Tech Dolo Group will receive 4.5 million € in 3 years and also will be introduced in the Chinese market. Hydromatch can produce up to 6,800 litres/day of pure drinking water extracted from the humidity of the air, something very interesting for a country like China with areas in which there is a severe water pollution. Xavier Doló's goal is to produce the two first portable machines in the forthcoming 6 months, to later start the serial production of two machines per day. The factory is planned to be built in Sant Joan de les Abadesses (Girona province, Catalonia), where the prototype has been developed, which is expected to help improve the local economy. Once in full production phase, expected sales can reach 50 million €/year.

 

Zhou Mengxin wins Spanish ICEX gastronomy contest

From http://www.vi-franc.com/la-xinesa-zhou-mengxin-guanya-el-concurs-que-clausura-el-vi-programa-de-formacio-en-gastronomia-de-licex (in Catalan)

Cava Regulatory Board has taken part in the 6th Program of Gastronomy Learning of ICEX, that has ended with the 6th Tapas International Contest of Valladolid (Spain). The young Chinese cook, Zhou Mengxin, has been the winner of this edition, which has the objective that contestants reflect in his/her own recipes the tastes and techniques learned during their stages in some of the best restaurants in Spain. The tapa by Zhou Mengxin that was awarded with the first price, given by the Cava Regulatory Board, has been salmorejo with iberian ham in crunchy rice. Geneva Melby, from United States, and Rafal Wojtasik, from Poland, have won the second and third prize, respectively. Zhou Mengxin, as winner, will be appointed as honour member of the Cava Regulatory Board during the Cava Week of 2014, and will also give a master class at the Tourism University School of Barcelona.

 

Catalan Minister of Agriculture confirms Chinese interest on Catalan food products

From http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/tarragona/20131109/54393924649/pelegri-confirma-l-interes-creixent-de-la-xina-per-productes-catalans-com-el-vi-l-oli-el-formatge-o-.html (in Catalan)

Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Josep Maria Pelegrí, has confirmed the Chinese interest on Catalan food products such as wine, olive oil, cheese or fruit, as stated by the participation of 14 Catalan companies on a food and beverages trade fair recently organized in Shanghai.

The goal of the event is to offer direct contact of those companies with Chinese importers and distributors in order to introduce and consolidate their products in the Chinese market. The Catalan products promoted in this trade fair are olive oil, coffee, wine, spirits, fruit, cava wine, honey and sweets (torrons, a Christmas traditional desert, and candies).

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture of the Catalan government, the exports of Catalan food products to China is growing annually by 13%. Economic growth, urban development, the growth of the Chinese middle class, the diversification of the diet and the increase in the consumption of western products represent an opportunity for the local companies to improve their sales.

Third edition of China at Barcelona Summit

From http://www.europapress.es/catalunya/noticia-centenar-empresas-chinas-mediterraneo-estudian-abrir-sede-barcelona-20131106181850.html (in Spanish)

Around one hundred Chinese companies already working in the Mediterranean area are considering to establish their headquarters in Barcelona, after their participation in the third edition of the China at Barcelona Summit, aimed at promoting Chinese investments in this city.

Organized by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Mazars, and Invest in Catalonia, China at Barcelona Summit has also had the institutional support of the Barcelona City Council, Casa Àsia and IEMed, and has gathered the investment agencies of Shanghai and Beijing, as well as ShineWing, a certified public accounting firm with 3,000 words. Another important participant was the China Africa Business Council, a Beijing-based institution that represents around 550 Chinese companies working in Africa and whose General Secretary, Bai Xiaofeng, has accepted to explain the advantages of Barcelona as main investment hub in Southern Europe.

One of the sessions that has raised more interest has been the one dealing with the new Spanish regulations for entrepreneurs, that will ease the concession of visas and residence permits to foreign investors that would by properties worth at least 500,000 euro.  The participants also have known several investment projects in northern Africa, either promoted or managed by Barcelona-based institutions, such as the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean.

During the opening ceremony, the Catalan Minister of Business and Employment, Felip Puig, and the President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Miquel Valls, highlighted the dedicated efforts of Barcelona and Catalonia to become a hub for Chinese companies with interests in Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. Felip Puig also mentioned the privileged and strategic location of Catalonia.

The meeting also seen the participation of the General Secretary of Casa Àsia, Montserrat Riba, the partner of Mazars in China, Chen Bing, and the President of IEMed, Senen Florensa.