Business meeting China - Catalonia in Barcelona to promote investments

From http://accio.gencat.cat/cat/agenda-activitats/actes/2014/04/el-foment-de-les-inversions.jsp (in Catalan)

The business meeting China - Catalonia that will take place on April 8th, 2014, is being organized in order to to strengthen the international relationship and the trade between them. This meeting will also be an excellent opportunity to highlight the importance of the internationalization of Catalan companies and also of the recent Chinese investments in Catalonia.

[gview file="http://accio.gencat.cat/cat/binaris/El-foment-de-les-inversions-Programa_tcm176-177875.pdf" save="1"]

Conference in Barcelona about the Chinese strategy towards global leadership

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=213030 (in English)

On March 27th, 2014, the Centre for International Studies together with the Confucius Institute Foundation in Barcelona and Casa Asia organises a seminar on the external projection of China and its strategy towards the global economic and political leadership. This free event will take place at the Palau Macaya, Passeig de Sant Joan 108 of Barcelona between 3 pm and 7 pm.

Published the issue #11 of the Newsletter of the Catalan Engineers in China

The China Working Group of the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia has released the issue 11 of their Newsletter. It can be read and downloaded in the previous link for from here below.

Workshop on advanced Chinese paintings in Barcelona

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=212746 (in Catalan)

[caption id="attachment_2893" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Workshop on Advanced Chinese Paintings[/caption]

Taiwanese teacher Hsiao-Lin Liu is going to offer a workshop on advanced Chinese paintings in the headquarters of Casa Àsia in Barcelona between March 12th and May 14th, 2014. Calm and harmony are very important in Chinese paintings and in this course the students will learn how to reflect it through the painting of flowers, fruits and birds. Students will also have the opportunity to practice the techniques of oriental paintings and discover their mystic side.

Hsiao-Lin Liu is currently working on her PhD on the Kuang Cao Chinese calligraphy and its relationship with the contemporary art at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Barcelona.

For further information, please visit the webpage of this workshop on Casa Àsia.

 

Casa Asia in Barcelona organizes course on Chinese cinema

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=212741 (in English)

[caption id="attachment_2897" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Course "Chinese Cinema: Stories and Evolutions" (image from Casa Asia website)[/caption]

From the February 25th to April 1st, 2014, the headquarters of Casa Àsia in Barcelona will host a course entitled "Chinese Cinema: Stories and Evolutions" given by Manel Ollé, professor of Chinese History and Culture and coordinator of the Master in Chinese Studies at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona. For further information on the fees, the detailed schedule and the location, please visit its webpage at Casa Àsia.

Published the issue #10 of the Newsletter of the Catalan Engineers in China

The China Working Group of the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia has released the issue 10 of their Newsletter. It can be read and downloaded in the previous link for from here below.

Barcelona based rock band GAS releases Chinese version of FC Barcelona's anthem

GAS, a rock band based in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona province) that earlier this year took by storm the local music scene by releasing their first EP, "Chinese Works" with seven original songs sung in Mandarin Chinese, has again caused sensation by recording a Chinese version of the anthem of the legendary Catalan football team FC Barcelona. Entitled 巴薩的隊歌, the news has appeared in many media, both local and from abroad.



 

Published the issue #9 of the Newsletter of the Catalan Engineers in China

The China Working Group of the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia has released the issue 9 of their Newsletter. It can be read and downloaded in the previous link for from here below.



 

Catalan electric material producer Simon reaches over 2,200 shops in China

From http://www.diaridegirona.cat/economia/2013/09/11/fabricant-material-electric-simon-supera/634503.html (in Catalan)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="273"] Image from Simon's website[/caption]

After reaching over 2,200 shops in China under the name of Simhome, the Asian giant is going to become Simon's main market in terms of total sales. According to Simon's CEO Xavier Torra, 780 of these shops have a surface of around 100 m2, whereas the other 1,500 shops have an average surface of around 20 m2, where Simon products are sold exclusively. Simon is selling in China since 1999, when an agreement with a local partner was made, that was followed by a joint venture in 2002 and has been able to supply equipment for the facilities of the Olympic Games in Beijing. According to Xavier Torra, "in 2 or 3 years China is expected to become our first market. Today it already represents around 20% of our total sales". Simon's total sales in 2012 reached 250 million €.

 

Laketània Tours ready to bring Chinese tourists to Catalonia

From http://www.laketaniatours.com/ca/blog/laketania-tours-preparada-per-portar-turisme-xines-a-catalunya/ (in Catalan)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="144"] Laketània Tours' Chinese Tourist Welcoming Quality Host certification (image from Laketània Tours website)[/caption]

Girona-based travel agency Laketània Tours has recently been awarded with the certification "Chinese Tourist Welcoming Quality Host" (欢迎中国游客优质服务商), a label that guarantees that its staff has the adequate knowledge to deal with Chinese tourists, taking into account their preferences and cultural expectations as well as adapting their products to fit their specific requirements. Laketània Tours is the first Catalan travel agency and the second one in Europe to obtain this certification.

赫罗纳的Laketània Tours已经获得“欢迎中国游客优质服务商”的认证。这项认证代表其工作人员具备足够的知识来接待中国游客，且重视他们的喜好和文化取向，并有能力提供合适的旅行规划以符合他们的特殊需求。Laketània Tours是第一个在加泰隆尼亚地区，同时也是第二个在欧洲地区通过这项认证的旅行社。

 

Catalan commercial mission to the Lighting Fair in Guangzhou, China

From http://agenda.acc10.cat/agenda/default.php?id=8500 (in Catalan)

The Lighting Fair Guangzhou 2013 (广州国际照明展览会) concentrates the greatest amount of exhibitors of this kind in China. CICAT, the Catalan Lighting Cluster, is organizing a commercial mission to this event for Catalan companies between June 7th and 15th, 2013. For further information, please contact Mr. Josep M. Vidal-Ribas by phone (+34 661 577 476) or email.

Session on how to sell in China through Taobao

From http://agenda.acc10.cat/agenda/default.php?id=9226 (in Catalan)

On June 12th, 2013 from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, CECOT is organizing a 2-hour informative session in their headquarters in Terrassa (Barcelona province) on how to sell in China through Taobao (淘宝网), a Chinese web site for on-line shopping that belongs to the Alibaba Group (阿里巴巴集团). Taobao provides a platform for small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to open on-line retail stores that mainly cater to consumers in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The session will be conducted by Josep Ramon Obis, fashion expert that has been managing a shop in Taobao for the last two years.

 

Barcelona based Galeria Mayoral at the Hong Kong's edition of Art Basel

From http://www.galeriamayoral.com/en/Fires/Basel%20Hong%20Kong/21/ (in English)

Barcelona-based Galeria Mayoral is attending the Hong Kong's edition of Art Basel, where there will be on display the highest quality of paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries, by more than 2,000 artists from Asia and around the globe. Galeria Mayoral is going to display a Solo Show Miró, based on the works of renowned Catalan painter Joan Miró.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="414"] Personnages et oiseaux, by Joan Miró (Image from Art Basel website)[/caption]

Published booklet about the Chinese shop owners in Barcelona

From http://www.comercnouvinguts.pimec.org/ca/productes/72/colleccio--i-nosaltres-tambe-fem-ciutat-i-/llistat/els-comerciants-xinesos-de-barcelona (in Catalan)

PIMEC, the association grouping the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and also the self-employed workers of Catalonia, has launched a project for the city of Barcelona called "Nosaltres també fem ciutat" ("We also contribute to the city") that has the goal of improving the integration of the foreign shop owners into the city's commercial network. One of the documents that has recently been released is the booklet "Els comerciants xinesos de Barcelona" ("Barcelona's Chinese shop owners"), which emphasizes their entrepreneurial capacity and their hard-working attitude. The document can be downloaded as a pd file from the link http://www.webmini.cat/repositori/documents/productes/ca/webmini-not103-uy19kg.pdf or read it down here in its embedded form.

Tous expects to return to China and outnumber 450 stores by 2013

From http://www.flytobarcelona.org/?p=7460 (in English)

Rosa Tous announced that the return of Catalan jewellery Tous to China could take place this year. Three years ago, the company closed all stores in China had after breaking the contract with their local partner. Since then, the Manresa-based company has been looking for another group to return to the Asian giant. “We must be very careful in choosing our partner, but when we find it, we will come into the market in China with force,” she said. Tous jewellery chain is accelerating its international expansion and plans to open 40 stores in 2013, compared to the 30 jewellery stores it opened last year. The director of corporate relations for the company said yesterday that the openings will focus on markets where the chain already has a presence, with the aim of consolidating the brand.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Tous jewellery shop in L'Illa shopping mall in Barcelona (image from Tous Wikipedia entry)[/caption]

Industrias Químicas del Vallés to open subsidiaries in China and the United States

From http://www.flytobarcelona.org/?p=7358 (in English)

Catalan company Industrias Químicas del Vallés (IQV) announced the launch of two new subsidiaries in Valdosta, Georgia (United States) and Beijing (China) to augment its organizational structure abroad and continue increasing exports. These new subsidiaries will strengthen its presence in two of the world's main markets for phytosanitary products, doubling exports to those countries and reinforcing the company's commitment to international expansion. Based in Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona province), Industrias Químicas del Vallés already exports more than 50% of its production. Industrias Químicas del Vallés is investing in the United States and China in order to obtain the necessary authorization to market other products from its catalogue. These new openings are in addition to the subsidiaries the company already has in Spain, Italy and Portugal; local partnerships in Greece; and the 55 countries where Industrias Químicas del Vallés markets its products.

Sinalunya featured in some Catalan media

Links:

• http://www.acn.cat/acn/704605/Noticia/text/Noticia.html


• http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4090748/20130303/sinalunya-projecte-multidisciplinari-potenciar-relacions-xina-taiwan-singapur-catalunya.html


• http://www.lavanguardia.com/encatala/20130303/54367958384/sinalunya-un-projecte-multidisciplinari-per-potenciar-les-relacions-entre-xina-taiwan-singapur-i.html

Recently our project has been featured in some Catalan media, thanks to the journalist of the Catalan News Agency, Nerea Guisasola, who interviewed us a couple of weeks ago. The news has written text and a picture, but also a piece of audio was featured on the radio. We would like to thank her for helping us to spread the word of what we would like to do and also for writing about our project in such an enthusiastic way.

[caption id="attachment_2034" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Sinalunya team: Chia-Chi Liao and Lluís Sala[/caption]

 

Catalan meat processing industry Càrniques Juià aims at Chinese market

From http://www.elpuntavui.cat/noticia/article/4-economia/18-economia/619600-carniques-juia-construeix-un-nou-magatzem-frigorific.html (in Catalan)

Càrniques Juià is a 27-year old company processing pork meat based in the town of Juià (Girona province), located some 50km from the French border and some 100km from important maritime shipping docks. Their total sales reached 500 million € in 2012 and they export 80% of the 11,000 pigs they annually process. Despite already selling their meat products to Eastern Asian markets such as Southern Korea and Japan, Càrniques Juià has invested 16.5 million € to enlarge their facilities and increase their exports to China, Australia and New Zealand.

Ficosa reorganizes its activity in China after deal with Canadian company

From http://www.expansion.com/2012/12/04/catalunya/1354636661.html (in Spanish) and http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2012/12/04/509418/10014509/en/SMTC-and-FICOSA-Announce-Strategic-Arrangement.html (in English)

SMTC Corporation, a Canadian global electronics manufacturing services provider, and Ficosa International S.A., a global leader in automotive systems and parts, have signed a strategic manufacturing agreement. Founded in 1949, Ficosa has its headquarters in Barcelona and has an operating presence in 19 other countries across the globe. Under this agreement, Ficosa will transition the manufacturing of selected programs to SMTC's Suzhou plant in China, including production engineering, system integration and logistic services, among others. The Catalan company will benefit from SMTC experience in the control services of the supply chain, whereas SMTC is expected to grow as provider of  automotive industry.

 

Catalan man honored in China after baby rescue

From http://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20120519/54295500296/catalan-buen-samaritano-salvar-nino-china.html (in Spanish) and http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-05/19/content_15335867.htm (in English)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Josep Solà-Niubo and Tang Shanlu with the boy they saved and his mother in Changshu, Jiangsu province (Image from China Daily website)"][/caption]

Catalan Josep Solà-Niubó has been honored in Changshu (常熟), a city in East China‘s Jiangsu (江苏) province, after saving the life of a 2-year-old boy. He and another man, a young Chinese named Tang Shanlu, heard the mother's boy scream and saw the baby floating face down in a pond. Tang Shanlu rescued the baby from the pond and Josep Solà-Niubó, who knows how to perform first aid, immediately began giving the boy cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Because of this fact, Josep Solà-Niubó has been deemed "good Samaritan" in Changshu and  has also been awarded 2,000 yuan ($316) by the Changshu Foundation for Justice and Courage. According to Shen Jingxue, director of the Changshu Foundation for Justice and Courage, Josep Solà-Niubó is the first foreigner to receive this distinction since 1994, when they started to award people in Changshu who made great efforts or had extraordinary achievements to help others.