From http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-06/14/c_13928164.htm (in English)
China's consumer price index (CPI) rose to its highest level in the last 34 months, reaching a 5.5% growth year-on-year. In the first five months of 2011, the CPI has grown by 5.2% year-on-year. These already high inflation rates are expected to even rise a little bit above 6% in June, according to experts. Food prices, which account for almost one third of the basket of goods for the calculation of CPI, increased by 11.7% in May from a year earlier, whereas the growth of non-food prices also increased by 2.9% in the same period.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Bizbarcelona, new trade fair for entrepreneurs
From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/bizbarcelona-opens-its-doors-international-entrepreneurs (in English)
On June 15th and 16th, 2011, Fira de Barcelona has held the first Bizbarcelona trade fair, devoted to entrepreneurs and to what they need in order to create businesses and/or make them grow. Some 12,000 attendants are expected, which are likely to find innovative solutions, inspiration, support, advice and financing. Bizbarcelona is promoted by the Barcelona City Council, the Catalan government, La Caixa, Diputació de Barcelona, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the State's Financial Agency of Spain, and is sponsored by the Zona Franca Consortium and Google.
On June 15th and 16th, 2011, Fira de Barcelona has held the first Bizbarcelona trade fair, devoted to entrepreneurs and to what they need in order to create businesses and/or make them grow. Some 12,000 attendants are expected, which are likely to find innovative solutions, inspiration, support, advice and financing. Bizbarcelona is promoted by the Barcelona City Council, the Catalan government, La Caixa, Diputació de Barcelona, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the State's Financial Agency of Spain, and is sponsored by the Zona Franca Consortium and Google.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
6th edition of the Spain China Forum in Barcelona
From http://chinaclubspain.blogspot.com/2011/06/vi-edicion-de-foro-espana-china.html (in Spanish)
On July 5th and 6th, 2011, the Barcelona World Trade Center will host the 6th edition of the Spain China Forum. It will have three Plenary Sessions that will be aimed at promoting economic relationships between the two countries. The Forum will be presided by the two co-Presidents: Mr. Pedro Solbes (Spain) and Mrs. Uyunqing (China).
On July 5th and 6th, 2011, the Barcelona World Trade Center will host the 6th edition of the Spain China Forum. It will have three Plenary Sessions that will be aimed at promoting economic relationships between the two countries. The Forum will be presided by the two co-Presidents: Mr. Pedro Solbes (Spain) and Mrs. Uyunqing (China).
Monday, June 13, 2011
Buddha Mountain awarded as best film in Casa Asia Film Week 2011
From http://www.casaasia.es/noticia/detalle?id=20Barcelona2585 (in Spanish)
Buddha Mountain, directed by Li Yu, has been awarded as the best film of the official section of the Casa Asia Film Week that has been held in Barcelona between June 6th and 12th, 2011. Of the 30 movies on display, 11 competed in the official section and were evaluated by a jury composed by Isaac Monclús (cultural promoter), Rubén Lardín (film critic and writer), Eulàlia Iglesias (film critic and professor at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili), Ángela Martínez (Head of the Audiovisual and Multimedia Section at the Contemporary Culture Center of Barcelona) and Manel Ollé (professor of East Asian Cinema in the Degree of East Asian Studies jointly organized by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra). According to the official press release, the jury of the festival chose Buddha Mountain as the winner of the 2011 edition for the following reasons: for the capacity of the director Li to express the feelings of the contemporary Chinese youth; for being able to produce a lively piece of cinema without falling into lecturing excesses; and for being able to portrait a series of characters from different generations that are trying to find their own ways in a country in constant transformation. Buddha Mountain is a 135-minute drama filmed in Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, whose principal actors are Sylvia Chang, Fan Bingbing, Chen Po Lin, Fei Long, Jin Jing, Fang Li and Bao Zhenjiang.
The whole movie, divided in 8 parts, can be watched at http://www.dramastyle.com/movie/Buddha-Mountain-Film-2010/
Buddha Mountain, directed by Li Yu, has been awarded as the best film of the official section of the Casa Asia Film Week that has been held in Barcelona between June 6th and 12th, 2011. Of the 30 movies on display, 11 competed in the official section and were evaluated by a jury composed by Isaac Monclús (cultural promoter), Rubén Lardín (film critic and writer), Eulàlia Iglesias (film critic and professor at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili), Ángela Martínez (Head of the Audiovisual and Multimedia Section at the Contemporary Culture Center of Barcelona) and Manel Ollé (professor of East Asian Cinema in the Degree of East Asian Studies jointly organized by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra). According to the official press release, the jury of the festival chose Buddha Mountain as the winner of the 2011 edition for the following reasons: for the capacity of the director Li to express the feelings of the contemporary Chinese youth; for being able to produce a lively piece of cinema without falling into lecturing excesses; and for being able to portrait a series of characters from different generations that are trying to find their own ways in a country in constant transformation. Buddha Mountain is a 135-minute drama filmed in Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, whose principal actors are Sylvia Chang, Fan Bingbing, Chen Po Lin, Fei Long, Jin Jing, Fang Li and Bao Zhenjiang.
The whole movie, divided in 8 parts, can be watched at http://www.dramastyle.com/movie/Buddha-Mountain-Film-2010/
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Interview to Director of Confucius Institute of Barcelona Minkang Zhou
From http://www.segre.com/detall-de-la-noticia/article/el-xines-es-percep-com-a-sortida-professional/ (in Catalan)
Minkang Zhou, Director of the Foundation of the Confucius Institute of Barcelona, has been interviewed by the newspaper Segre after his conference at the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs in Lleida on the Chinese studies around the world.
He explained that in the last few years Chinese government has realized that Chinese culture and language are largely unknown in the rest of the world and that's the reason why they are investing on the creation of institutes around the world where they can be learned. He also stated that China is a very ancient civilization and this could be of interest for many people. He also mentioned that the development of the last 30 years has created an increasing gap between rich and poor peoples and also has given more freedom to Chinese people. Because of this, they are migrating both from rural areas to the large cities, but aso migrating to other areas of the world, like Catalonia, which is also receiving an increasing number of Chinese tourists. And finally he mentioned that in Catalonia there is an increasing number of people who are studying Chinese language, which is seen by the growth of the number of people who take the examinations.
Minkang Zhou, Director of the Foundation of the Confucius Institute of Barcelona, has been interviewed by the newspaper Segre after his conference at the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs in Lleida on the Chinese studies around the world.
He explained that in the last few years Chinese government has realized that Chinese culture and language are largely unknown in the rest of the world and that's the reason why they are investing on the creation of institutes around the world where they can be learned. He also stated that China is a very ancient civilization and this could be of interest for many people. He also mentioned that the development of the last 30 years has created an increasing gap between rich and poor peoples and also has given more freedom to Chinese people. Because of this, they are migrating both from rural areas to the large cities, but aso migrating to other areas of the world, like Catalonia, which is also receiving an increasing number of Chinese tourists. And finally he mentioned that in Catalonia there is an increasing number of people who are studying Chinese language, which is seen by the growth of the number of people who take the examinations.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Plan for ambitious promotion of Spanish food products in East Asian countries
From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4495904,00.html (in Spanish)
The Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX) and the Spanish Federation of Food & Drinks Industries (FIAB) have reached an agreement to spend half a million euros for the promotion of Spanish food products in China and India for one year. The first actions under this agreement were the pavillions arranged at the Hofex 2011 Food and Hospitality Tradeshow that was held in Hong Kong on May 11th-14th, at the Sial 2011 fair that was held in Shanghai on May 18th-20th and at the Top Wine China that was held in Beijing from May 24th-26th, but new actions are under planning. These future goals are the attendance to the Indonesia Food & Hotel Expo 2011 that will take place in the city of Bandung from November 25th-27th; to the 21st Taipei International Food Show that will take place in Taiwan's capital from June 22nd-25th, 2011; to the next edition of Top Wine China that will take place from June 4th-6th, 2012; and to Interwine, the 7th International Wine & Spirits Exhibition that since 2005 is organized in Guangzhou and that will take place from November 8th-10th, 2011.
The Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX) and the Spanish Federation of Food & Drinks Industries (FIAB) have reached an agreement to spend half a million euros for the promotion of Spanish food products in China and India for one year. The first actions under this agreement were the pavillions arranged at the Hofex 2011 Food and Hospitality Tradeshow that was held in Hong Kong on May 11th-14th, at the Sial 2011 fair that was held in Shanghai on May 18th-20th and at the Top Wine China that was held in Beijing from May 24th-26th, but new actions are under planning. These future goals are the attendance to the Indonesia Food & Hotel Expo 2011 that will take place in the city of Bandung from November 25th-27th; to the 21st Taipei International Food Show that will take place in Taiwan's capital from June 22nd-25th, 2011; to the next edition of Top Wine China that will take place from June 4th-6th, 2012; and to Interwine, the 7th International Wine & Spirits Exhibition that since 2005 is organized in Guangzhou and that will take place from November 8th-10th, 2011.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Sinalunya Interviews: Huei Chiang (江蕙)
[caption id="attachment_705" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Black & White portrait of Huei Chiang (by courtesy of the artist)"]
[/caption]
When someone would go to a concert of the Empordà Chamber Orchestra, he or she would possibly be surprised to discover that the first violinist and assistant concertmaster is a young lady from East Asian origin. Her name is Huei Chiang (江蕙) and she was born in Taipei in 1980. She is also a talented writer, her other huge passion besides music. She has been living in Catalonia since 1999, when she accepted such a position in the Empordà Chamber Orchestra. As a Taiwanese native but also a long time resident in Catalonia, she has the perfect profile to analyze both societies and how globalization is getting them to be closer every passing day. Sinalunya has approached her with this purpose and we thank her for taking the time to answer these questions.
Q: You have been living in Catalonia for more than 10 years now. What is your perception of the Catalan society? How was integration in such a different society for a young Taiwanese lady? And what was the reaction of the local people?
R: It’s a tricky question! I wouldn’t say that in general the Catalan people are open to foreigners; people are nice and friendly in this region, but it doesn’t mean that they would try to make you “feel like home” in this country. From my part, in my fifth year in Catalonia, I thought that it was time for me to learn some Catalan, I wanted to feel more integrated, so I took Catalan classes. Some people were really impressed by an Asian girl that “tried to speak Catalan” and they were happy to answer me in Catalan as well, but some others just kept on speaking Spanish to me, like it didn’t matter to them… People are hard to please!!! (Joke)
Then I realized that speaking the local language is not the main thing which makes you feel being a part of a society, it helps, but what’s really important is if we “want” to understand and communicate with each other! Here I’ve seen the worst and the best qualities of people; I have some very good Catalan friends, and I don’t think that they would like me any less if we speak Spanish to each other!
Q: You were hired as first violinist and you were only 19 years old at that time. Were your fellow colleagues with the orchestra surprised to have you there? How was their acceptance? And what has been the evolution of your role there?
R: I don’t really know what they thought of me during that time! Maybe too young to be working?! But I was a good player then, and they were my first friends in this country!
What I’ve been doing in the past 11 years is to take as much advantage as I can from this work: I love playing as a soloist and I’m very fortunate to have many chances to be accompanied by my own orchestra. They are my colleagues who support me, and I’ve learned so much by being on the stage as a soloist -controlling one’s nerves and mental state, building up one’s presence and self confidence...
When I first entered the orchestra, I was a first violin tutti and then became the assistant concertmaster (the second chair in the first violin group), which means sometimes that I also do the concertmaster’s work while he is on leave. Being in that chair is a challenge, because then you really feel the responsibility right on your shoulders -how can you make your group sound better together? And be 100 % sure for your orchestra because they rely on you. All together it has been a good training for my personal growth.
Q: Catalonia has always been an open nation that has looked beyond its borders, but now nearest markets are becoming difficult and East Asian ones can play an important role in getting out of the crisis. What would you recommend to Catalan entrepreneurs and businessmen if they had to go to Taiwan in order to deal with Taiwanese people and culture?
R: Taiwanese people are fascinated by foreign cultures. They used to be very American influenced, and then both the Japanese culture and the Korean cultures have also played quite an important role in the recent past. In the last 15 years, every time when I get back home I’m so amazed to see how international the place has become. In big cities you’ll find European cafes, restaurants even better decorated than here, and getting good Italian, French or even Spanish food is no rarity. As Taiwanese are open to things coming from the outside, people like to change their taste every now and then (the speed of fashion is much quicker there), basically nothing stays the same for more than 2-4 months, and people would have to keep renovating, reinventing their products in order to catch the public’s attention. Catalan people are very smart in relation to economy, what I would suggest is to understand Taiwanese people’s tendencies and needs: healthy products such as olive oil and grape seed oil, they also appreciate wine, cheese (in the supermarket you can get all kinds of cheese, possibly more varieties even than here!). As for dealing with businessmen there, I really have no idea, because there are all kinds of people! Some people can be direct and honest, some can be “never reject you” in front of your face, but they wouldn’t do what they’ve promised, but they will always be friendly and polite with you.
Q: Talking about Taiwan, is there something from there that you are terribly missing here? And what would you take with you from Catalonia if you would move back to your native country?
R: I think all Taiwanese people would say the same thing: FOOD!!! The food is wonderful there. I also miss the people who I love (family and friends) and all the traditional Chinese holidays -by doing the celebration you really notice that the people have great respect towards our ancestors, our gods and ghosts. We treat the spirits, the unknown, with respect and indirectly that makes the place full of warmth. Every Chinese holiday has an interesting, sometimes even romantic story behind it. Unlike the western holidays, Chinese holidays have very little to do with religion but more with seasons and mythology.
Another thing I miss are the bookstores in Taiwan, you will only see this there: Every bookstore is like a library, there are tables and chairs around, you can choose any book you want, sit down and spend the whole afternoon reading it till you finish, no one will even come and ask you to buy the book! That’s what we think “normal” in bookstores, and the stores are always full of people and quite! The result is that people always buy books as well, but then you can really choose something you must have rather than buying some books you are not quite sure about.
And what would I bring from Catalonia, food wise? As for presents I often bring torrons, pimientos de Padrón, polvorones… but if I do move back to my country, it would be my whole living experience! My professional experience in playing and Yoga! I learned Yoga in Catalonia, and I am also a trained Yoga teacher.
Q: Are there any cultural interactions between Taiwan and Catalonia that you are aware of? Do you think that it is something to be explored? Any ideas?
R: I don’t think there is such an exchange between these two places, a lot of Asian people still haven’t heard of “Catalonia”, they know the city of Barcelona, and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, the football team FC Barcelona... Of course there are things to be explored such as art and gastronomy.
Q: What are your highlights of your life and career here? And what are your projects for the near future?
R: What a question! I didn’t win any special “gold medal” to have golden lights shining all over me! I’m a violinist and I enjoy playing, when I do a good performance and feel the audience responds to me, this makes me complete, these are the moments I appreciate in life.
As for my projects- I have something that I have to keep secret yet, because I want to be one of the first people who present such a thing in the world. When I get it finally planned and settled, I’ll be glad to publish the news on the site!!! (Carl Jung talked about the collective unconsciousness, so I may not be the first one in the world who has had this idea).
Q: Finally, please let us know a little bit more about yourself by telling us your tastes:
A book: About Love and Solitude by Krishnamurti
A movie: The Shawshank Redemption
An actor or actress: Audrey Hepburn
A song or musical piece: Bach - Ciaccona
A performer: Billie Holiday
A composer: Franz Schubert
A landscape: L’Empordà
A dish from Taiwanese cuisine: Everything!
A dish from Catalan cuisine: Arròs negre (black rice), Fideuà, Cargols (snails)
A wish: To experience and live every moment
The above questions are too difficult to just answer one, especially about music and musicians; there are so many things which I love, so many composers and performers… So when I name one, it means- Everyone, Everything!
Finally, let's enjoy the incredibly talented Huei Chiang on violin together with the Orquestra de Cambra de l'Empordà, conducted by Carles Coll, playing the Faust Fantasy op.13 by P. Sarasate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ok7vINQRE
[/caption]When someone would go to a concert of the Empordà Chamber Orchestra, he or she would possibly be surprised to discover that the first violinist and assistant concertmaster is a young lady from East Asian origin. Her name is Huei Chiang (江蕙) and she was born in Taipei in 1980. She is also a talented writer, her other huge passion besides music. She has been living in Catalonia since 1999, when she accepted such a position in the Empordà Chamber Orchestra. As a Taiwanese native but also a long time resident in Catalonia, she has the perfect profile to analyze both societies and how globalization is getting them to be closer every passing day. Sinalunya has approached her with this purpose and we thank her for taking the time to answer these questions.
Q: You have been living in Catalonia for more than 10 years now. What is your perception of the Catalan society? How was integration in such a different society for a young Taiwanese lady? And what was the reaction of the local people?
R: It’s a tricky question! I wouldn’t say that in general the Catalan people are open to foreigners; people are nice and friendly in this region, but it doesn’t mean that they would try to make you “feel like home” in this country. From my part, in my fifth year in Catalonia, I thought that it was time for me to learn some Catalan, I wanted to feel more integrated, so I took Catalan classes. Some people were really impressed by an Asian girl that “tried to speak Catalan” and they were happy to answer me in Catalan as well, but some others just kept on speaking Spanish to me, like it didn’t matter to them… People are hard to please!!! (Joke)
Then I realized that speaking the local language is not the main thing which makes you feel being a part of a society, it helps, but what’s really important is if we “want” to understand and communicate with each other! Here I’ve seen the worst and the best qualities of people; I have some very good Catalan friends, and I don’t think that they would like me any less if we speak Spanish to each other!
Q: You were hired as first violinist and you were only 19 years old at that time. Were your fellow colleagues with the orchestra surprised to have you there? How was their acceptance? And what has been the evolution of your role there?
R: I don’t really know what they thought of me during that time! Maybe too young to be working?! But I was a good player then, and they were my first friends in this country!
What I’ve been doing in the past 11 years is to take as much advantage as I can from this work: I love playing as a soloist and I’m very fortunate to have many chances to be accompanied by my own orchestra. They are my colleagues who support me, and I’ve learned so much by being on the stage as a soloist -controlling one’s nerves and mental state, building up one’s presence and self confidence...
When I first entered the orchestra, I was a first violin tutti and then became the assistant concertmaster (the second chair in the first violin group), which means sometimes that I also do the concertmaster’s work while he is on leave. Being in that chair is a challenge, because then you really feel the responsibility right on your shoulders -how can you make your group sound better together? And be 100 % sure for your orchestra because they rely on you. All together it has been a good training for my personal growth.
Q: Catalonia has always been an open nation that has looked beyond its borders, but now nearest markets are becoming difficult and East Asian ones can play an important role in getting out of the crisis. What would you recommend to Catalan entrepreneurs and businessmen if they had to go to Taiwan in order to deal with Taiwanese people and culture?
R: Taiwanese people are fascinated by foreign cultures. They used to be very American influenced, and then both the Japanese culture and the Korean cultures have also played quite an important role in the recent past. In the last 15 years, every time when I get back home I’m so amazed to see how international the place has become. In big cities you’ll find European cafes, restaurants even better decorated than here, and getting good Italian, French or even Spanish food is no rarity. As Taiwanese are open to things coming from the outside, people like to change their taste every now and then (the speed of fashion is much quicker there), basically nothing stays the same for more than 2-4 months, and people would have to keep renovating, reinventing their products in order to catch the public’s attention. Catalan people are very smart in relation to economy, what I would suggest is to understand Taiwanese people’s tendencies and needs: healthy products such as olive oil and grape seed oil, they also appreciate wine, cheese (in the supermarket you can get all kinds of cheese, possibly more varieties even than here!). As for dealing with businessmen there, I really have no idea, because there are all kinds of people! Some people can be direct and honest, some can be “never reject you” in front of your face, but they wouldn’t do what they’ve promised, but they will always be friendly and polite with you.
Q: Talking about Taiwan, is there something from there that you are terribly missing here? And what would you take with you from Catalonia if you would move back to your native country?
R: I think all Taiwanese people would say the same thing: FOOD!!! The food is wonderful there. I also miss the people who I love (family and friends) and all the traditional Chinese holidays -by doing the celebration you really notice that the people have great respect towards our ancestors, our gods and ghosts. We treat the spirits, the unknown, with respect and indirectly that makes the place full of warmth. Every Chinese holiday has an interesting, sometimes even romantic story behind it. Unlike the western holidays, Chinese holidays have very little to do with religion but more with seasons and mythology.
Another thing I miss are the bookstores in Taiwan, you will only see this there: Every bookstore is like a library, there are tables and chairs around, you can choose any book you want, sit down and spend the whole afternoon reading it till you finish, no one will even come and ask you to buy the book! That’s what we think “normal” in bookstores, and the stores are always full of people and quite! The result is that people always buy books as well, but then you can really choose something you must have rather than buying some books you are not quite sure about.
And what would I bring from Catalonia, food wise? As for presents I often bring torrons, pimientos de Padrón, polvorones… but if I do move back to my country, it would be my whole living experience! My professional experience in playing and Yoga! I learned Yoga in Catalonia, and I am also a trained Yoga teacher.
Q: Are there any cultural interactions between Taiwan and Catalonia that you are aware of? Do you think that it is something to be explored? Any ideas?
R: I don’t think there is such an exchange between these two places, a lot of Asian people still haven’t heard of “Catalonia”, they know the city of Barcelona, and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, the football team FC Barcelona... Of course there are things to be explored such as art and gastronomy.
Q: What are your highlights of your life and career here? And what are your projects for the near future?
R: What a question! I didn’t win any special “gold medal” to have golden lights shining all over me! I’m a violinist and I enjoy playing, when I do a good performance and feel the audience responds to me, this makes me complete, these are the moments I appreciate in life.
As for my projects- I have something that I have to keep secret yet, because I want to be one of the first people who present such a thing in the world. When I get it finally planned and settled, I’ll be glad to publish the news on the site!!! (Carl Jung talked about the collective unconsciousness, so I may not be the first one in the world who has had this idea).
Q: Finally, please let us know a little bit more about yourself by telling us your tastes:
A book: About Love and Solitude by Krishnamurti
A movie: The Shawshank Redemption
An actor or actress: Audrey Hepburn
A song or musical piece: Bach - Ciaccona
A performer: Billie Holiday
A composer: Franz Schubert
A landscape: L’Empordà
A dish from Taiwanese cuisine: Everything!
A dish from Catalan cuisine: Arròs negre (black rice), Fideuà, Cargols (snails)
A wish: To experience and live every moment
The above questions are too difficult to just answer one, especially about music and musicians; there are so many things which I love, so many composers and performers… So when I name one, it means- Everyone, Everything!
Finally, let's enjoy the incredibly talented Huei Chiang on violin together with the Orquestra de Cambra de l'Empordà, conducted by Carles Coll, playing the Faust Fantasy op.13 by P. Sarasate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ok7vINQRE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)