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.

Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board plans to attract Chinese visitors

From http://www.diaridegirona.cat/comarques/2014/01/23/turisme-girona-centra-esforcos-mercat/653171.html (in Catalan)

The director of the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board, Ramon Ramos, has explained that this organization will start working on the promotion of the region in the Chinese market, to prepare the ground for the boom that has been forecast for the next three to four years. To help with the process, the Board has signed a native Chinese young girl that will work on the preparation of a database containing the whole tourist offer from Costa Brava (布拉瓦海岸) and on advising on the needs, tastes and preferences of the Chinese market.

[caption id="attachment_2846" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Costa Brava, north of the Creus Cape[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2847" align="alignleft" width="300"] The fishing port from El Port de la Selva[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2848" align="alignleft" width="225"] Fishing near the mouth of the Ter river in central Costa Brava[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2850" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cala Boadella in Lloret de Mar, southern Costa Brava[/caption]

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.



 

Editada la "Guía de Supervivencia en China" per al viatger de negocis

De http://landing.captio.net/descargate-la-guia-de-supervivencia-para-el-viajero-de-negocios-cross-cultural-en-china (en Castellano)

Captio, amb la col·laboració de Baidewei, han editat una eina que pot resultar molt útil per als cada vegada més freqüents viatgers de negocis disposats a conquerir els mercats de Xina. Es tracta de la “Guía de Supervivencia en China para el viajero de negocios“, en la qual en 26 pàgines es resumeixen els costums, el protocol i la cultura d'empresa a la Xina, per tal que qui hi viatgi per primera vegada no comenci des de zero. La guia està disponible en format pdf y per a obtenir-la tan sols cal visitar l'enllaç anterior.

Editada la Guía de Supervivencia en China para el viajero de negocios

De http://landing.captio.net/descargate-la-guia-de-supervivencia-para-el-viajero-de-negocios-cross-cultural-en-china (en Castellano)

Captio, con la colaboración de Baidewei, han editado una herramienta que puede resultar muy útil para los cada vez más frecuentes viajeros de negocios cuyo mercado a conquistar es China. Se trata de la "Guía de Supervivencia en China para el viajero de negocios", en la cual se resumen en 26 páginas las costumbres, el protocolo y la cultura de empresa en China, para que quien viaje por primera vez no empiece desde cero. La guía está disponible en formato pdf y para obtenerla tan sólo hay que visitar el enlace anterior.

 

Guzheng concert in Vilafranca del Penedès by Zhang Ye

From http://www.casaasia.eu/actividad/detalle?id=212498 (in English)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="145"] Zhang Ye playing the guzheng (image from Zhang Ye's website)[/caption]

Zhang Ye ( 张也), graduate at the Conservatory of Music of Shenyang, China, will perform on December 13th, 2013, in the Chapel of Sant Joan, in Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona province). She is scheduled to give a free concert of guzheng (Chinese harp) in the framework a programme called “Discovering Asian Talents” of the 2013 Asia Festival that takes place in several towns of the Barcelona province. This concert is organized by Casa Àsia, in collaboration with Diputació de Barcelona and the municipality of Vilafranca del Penedès. Zhang Ye has performed at emblematic venues in Barcelona and Catalonia since 2006.

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.