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.

Catalan bank "La Caixa" publishes booklet for Chinese immigrants in Spain

From http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/StaticFiles/StaticFiles/0df7346e60c50210VgnVCM200000128cf10aRCRD/ca/Guia_xino.pdf (in Chinese)

As one of their welfare projects, "La Caixa" Foundation has published a booklet addressed at the Chinese immigrants and residents in Spain. The booklet, entitled "这里是一个怎么样的国家?" ("What does this country look like?"), contains all kind of useful information for the Chinese people that have chosen Spain as their country to live, like information about legal affairs, residence, work, health and education, among others. This booklet is also available in Spanish, English, Russian, Romanian and Urdu, and as a pdf file it can be downloaded from La Caixa Foundation website in French, Arab, Russian, Romanian and Spanish, apart from the above mentioned Chinese.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="这里是一个怎么样的国家?"][/caption]

Beijing Foreign Studies University will teach Catalan language

From http://www.diaridegirona.cat/espanya-internacional/2012/03/09/universitat-xinesa-ensenyara-catala-partir-lany-vinent/551272.html (in Catalan)

The Beijing Foreign Studies University has announced an agreement with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) in order to start teaching Catalan language and culture in 2013, as part of the 4-year degree on Spanish Studies. This will be the first experience of its kind in a Chinese university.

Chinese Catalans, portrait of an emerging and entrepreneurial minority

From http://www.presencia.cat/index.php?Itemid=1080 (in Catalan)

[caption id="attachment_1316" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Cover of Presència 12 February 2012"][/caption]

Catalan weekly magazine Presència has devoted the main report of its last edition to the Chinese community living in Catalonia. The title of the report is "Chinese Catalans, portrait of an emerging and entrepreneurial minority" and it explains what is the situation of the growing Chinese population in Catalonia. Chinese immigrants are the fifth most numerous minority (around 50,000 inhabitants), after the Moroccans, Romanians, Ecuadorians and Bolivians, and they mostly live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. Out of those 50,000 inhabitants, some 8,000 are entrepreneurs, the highest percentage among any other group, including the natives.  The report also includes interviews with Jia Jia Wang, owner of Jia Jia Ediciones, a publishing company she created in order to help teach Chinese language to local children. Other interviews are those of Zheng Lingteng and Ma Yinping, teachers of Chinese at the Girona-based language school, Nipponia, and Lam Chuen Ping, president of the Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs of Catalonia. The scans of the report can be seen on the Sinalunya Flickr site.

Celebrations of Chinese New Year in Barcelona

From http://www.casaasia.cat/actividad/detalle?id=205220 (in Catalan)

Celebrations of Chinese New Year in Barcelona will be held from 27-29 January 2012 at the Moll de la Fusta, organized by the Union of Chinese Associations of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council and Casa Àsia, among others. This year's events will include tastings of Catalan and Chinese gastronomy, and dance and martial arts exhibitions. The complete program can be downloaded as pdf on Casa Àsia website.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Chinese New Year 2012 in Barcelona - Image from Casa Àsia website"][/caption]

Catalan faucet company Sedal invests on a third factory in China - 加泰 罗尼亚水龙头公司Sedal在中国投资第三间工厂

From http://www.expansion.com/2012/01/10/catalunya/1326225125.html (in Spanish)

Catalan faucet and plumbing sector company Sedal has announced an investment between 3 and 5 million € to open a third factory in China, where already is employing 390 people. Located in Molins de Rei (Barcelona province), the company was acquired in 2007 by Landon Investments and this year is expected to reach a total sales of 24 million €. The new factory will be located in the Guangdong province and will produce ceramic discs for single hand faucets. Sedal is one of the world leaders in the production of ceramic cartridges, of which 2o million units per year can be produced on its Chinese factories.

Catalan company Beter introduces beauty products in China - 加泰罗尼亚的 公司-Beter-进军中国大陆

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4545083,00.html (in Spanish)

2012 is expected to be a key year for Beter, the Catalan company leading the Spanish market of beauty and personal care complementary products, after their announcement of entering in the Brazilian and Chinese markets. Created in 1936, Beter designs and distributes nearly 1,000 products in specialized beauty and health care shops and pharmacies. Total sales in 2010 reached 18 million euro, an amount that is expected to grow in the next years, after their increasing projection abroad.

No Chery investment in Catalonia announced

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/12/14/catalunya/1323892444.html (in Spanish)

Despite the efforts of former Catalan president José Montilla (see http://sinalunya.com/2010/10/09/catalan-president-jose-montilla-visits-chery-company-in-china) and the hopes of the current president Artur Mas, (http://sinalunya.com/2011/04/30/chery-includes-catalonia-industrial-plans), the news arriving from China are not of the kind expected in Catalonia. Chery International Automobile Co. has announced an alliance with Israel Corporation to produce in China the cars aimed at the European market. Since 2007, both companies have been working together on the joint venture Chery Quantum Auto and in November 2011 they have presented in China the prototype of their new brand Qoros, which should be on sale in Europe by 2013. After this decision, the Catalan government is already on conversations with BMW's Chinese partner, Brilliance Auto, for its establishment in Catalonia.

Sabadell Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes commercial mission to China

From http://agenda.acc10.cat/agenda/default.php?id=6849 (in Catalan)

The Sabadell Chamber of Commerce and Industry is organizing a commercial mission to China for April 15-21, 2012, specially addressed to companies of the following sectors: automotive, construction materials, engineering, electrical, plastics, chemical and consumer products. This mission has the support of the ACC1Ó office in Shanghai. The goals of this mission are: i) to promote Catalan companies in China; ii) to support the internationalization of Catalan companies; iii) to promote strategic alliances with Chinese partners; and iv) to evaluate potential investments in situ. Further information (in Catalan) can be obtained by downloading a pdf document from ACC1Ó website.

 

Catalan workshop on the development of Chinese tour operators

From http://workshops.catalunya.com/wsxina2011 (in Catalan)

The Catalan Tourism Agency has recently organized a workshop aimed at Chinese tour operators in order to bring tourists to Catalonia. The event has been designed to promote holiday and cultural packages and has been hosted by Casa Àsia in Barcelona.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Catalan workshop on Chinese tour operators (Image from workshop website)"][/caption]

China and Spain will sign a cooperation agreement on water management

From http://www.iagua.es/noticias/china/11/10/30/espana-y-china-firmaran-un-%E2%80%9Cmemorando-de-entendimiento-en-materia-de-recursos-de-agua%E2%80%9D-10848 (in Spanish)

The Spanish Minister of Environment, and Rural and Marine Environments, Mrs. Rosa Aguilar, has started an official trip to China aimed at showcasing the potential for exports of the Spanish food sector and also to reinforce the Spanish-Chinese cooperation on water management. She is expected to have a meeting with the Chinese Vice Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Hu Siyi, with whom she will sign a cooperation agreement on water management. Mrs. Rosa Aguilar will also introduce the leadership potential of Spanish water companies in order to help them get into the promising Chinese market.

Catalan companies seeking opportunities in the machinery sector in China

From http://www.anella.cat/web/portal/cercador-oportunitats/-/custom_publisher/7Nep/27513446/Oportunitats-de-negoci-en-el-sector-de-la-maquinaria-a-la-Xina (in Catalan)

ACC1Ó-Competitiveness for Catalonia has recently issued a 3-page dossier analyzing the situation of the machinery sector in China, aimed at the Catalan companies seeking opportunities in such a giant market. The document is composed of an analysis of the machinery sector in China, followed by a description of the business opportunities and a list of references and contacts, such as the China International Machinery Industry Exhibition, the China Yiwu International Machinery Industry Fair, the China International Machine Tool and the China Machinery Industry Federation (Chinese website). For further information, download the 3-page report (pdf file) and/or can contact Mrs. Isabel Gimeno (ialtarriba@acc10.cat) at the Centre for Internationalization within ACC1Ó-Competitiveness for Catalonia.

 

 

Workshop on intellectual and industrial property in China organized in Barcelona

From http://www.eic.es/wps/PA_Jornades/fitxa.jsp?codi=1083482 (in Catalan)

The College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia organizes a workshop on the intellectual and industrial property in China that will be held on October 10th, 2011 in their headquarters at Via Laietana 39, 5th floor, in Barcelona, at 6:30 pm. The workshop will allow to exchange opinions with experts on industrial property in China about regulations, procedures, registration (how to choose a Chinese name for a brand) and law application, among others. They will also report on experiences on these fields by Catalan companies already working on Chinese territory. For further information, call +34 933 192 304 (from 9 to 14 h and from 16 to 18 h).

Downloadables:

- Registration form for members

- Registration form for non-members

Chinese writer Diane Wei Liang presents her new book in Barcelona

From http://www.casaasia.es/actividad/detalle?id=203306 (in Spanish)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="La Casa del Espíritu Dorado - Diane Wei Liang - Ediciones Siruela"][/caption]

In the framework of a series of activities related to asian detective fiction literature, Casa Àsia and Ediciones Siruela have organized a meeting with Chinese writer Diane Wei Liang, who has recently released her third novel "The House of Golden Spirit", that has been translated into Spanish as "La Casa del Espíritu Dorado". After the success of "The eye of Jade" and "Paper butterfly", Diane Wei Liang has written a new story for her fictional character, the female detective Mei Wang. The plot on this new book is set on the city of Beijing after the Olympic Games of 2008, where Mei Wang has to deal with a noisy and busy environment, and with people whose only drive in life is money or power. Diane Wei Liang will be giving a talk entitled "Mei Wang's Beijing" ("El Pequín de la detectiu Mei Wang" (catalan) / "El Pequín de la detective Mei Wang" (Spanish)) and presenting her book in Barcelona on September 15th, 2011. The event will take place at the headquarters of Casa Àsia in Barcelona, Tagore Auditorium, Avinguda Diagonal, 373 and she will be introduced by Ofelia Grande, Director of Ediciones Siruela, and Rafael Bueno, Director of Politics and Society of Casa Àsia. One day earlier, a similar activity is scheduled in Madrid's Casa Asia's headquarters. An interview in Spanish with Diane Wei Liang can be dowloaded from Ediciones Siruela website, whereas Casa Àsia website also offers an invitation card to the event, both as pdf files. For further information contact casaasia@casaasia.es.

Chinese-Catalan TV series starts on July 18th on Catalan channel TV3

From http://www.lavanguardia.com/television/20110712/54185009419/una-telenovela-chino-catalana-sustituye-a-la-riera-en-tv3-este-verano.html (in Spanish)

A truly original TV series will start being broadcast on July 18th on TV3, the publicly owned Catalan channel. This new TV series is a co-production by China and Catalonia and will be offered during the early aftenoon prime time of the summer 2011. Its title is "Secrets de Xangai" (Secrets of Shanghai), is mainly focused on human relationships (love, passion, intrigue) and consists of 23 episodes. The only Catalan main role is played by actress Montse Alcoverro, who's character is a Catalan woman that lives in Barcelona and that is married to a man that left China more than 20 years ago and that has been able to create a big company in Spain. The pleasant life of the couple, that has a 20-year old son named Josep, is broken when the husband decides to go back to China to look for the woman and the wife he left there.

The series has already been broadcast during February and March 2011 in China, on the Dragon TV channel, and has been followed by more than 100 million fans. It was originally filmed in English and the length of the chapters has been adapted for the different tastes of the audiences -shorter episodes in Catalonia and longer in China-.

The trailer of the series can be watched at http://www.tv3.cat/videos/3619010/Estrena-de-Secrets-de-Xangai until July 18th, 2011

http://www.tv3.cat/3alacarta/#/videos/36190

President Artur Mas offers Catalonia to Chinese companies as base for SW Europe

From http://premsa.gencat.cat/pres_fsvp/AppJava/notapremsavw/detall.do?id=115170 (in Catalan)

The president of the Catalan government, Artur Mas, has offered Catalonia to Chinese companies to estabish in the area and to use it as a base for expanding their businesses to south western Europe, northern Africa and the Mediterranean area.  In his speech at the 6th edition of the Spain China Forum, Artur Mas has announced that government is working to make Catalonia attractive for foreign investors, specially for Chinese companies. He has also stated that Catalonia is already the Spanish autonomous community with a greater relationship with China and that with every passing day there is an increase in the relationship between companies from both countries, as well as an increase in both the trading and touristic activities. Finally, he has remembered the Chinese community in Catalonia (around 50,000 people) and how their roots are getting deeper into the Catalan society.

Video summary of Casa Asia Film Week in Barcelona

From http://www.casaasia.es/internet_y_tecnologia/multimedia?video_id=14660 (in Spanish)

Casa Asia has posted an 8-minute video that summarizes the highlights of the first edition of the Casa Asia Film Week that was held in Barcelona between June 6 and 12th, 2011. The video starts with the opening ceremony, is followed by the tribute to Ann Hui and the award ceremony to Buddha Mountain, directed by Li Yu, and ends up with the closing ceremony. Main languages in the video are Spanish and Catalan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1rKns1w9Mw