WLE Newsletter February 2002 - April 2002
Spring has arrived in Beijing!
Spring arrived earlier this year than expected. One day it was cold and the next it was Spring with cherry blossom trees blooming all over the city! Needless to say we were all thrilled with the warm sunny weather.
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Dustin Ong, an 8 week Chinese language and China Business student, having fun in the sun!
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Samantha Zhang, the Martial Arts program advisor of WLE's Beijing team, poses by the 'Ying Daun Hua' flowers (Welcome Spring Flowers).
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Henry Linehan practicing his "shabao", as he kicks a small sandbag!
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One of our Martial Arts students, Elisabeth Lutley, ready to watch a DVD.
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Mark Ng from Australia, decides to stay indoors and study some Mandarin with a friend.
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Despite the warm weather some students decided to stay indoors in the WLE Student Lounge to watch DVD and send emails to family and friends.
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Andrea, Jasmine and a shy Michelle, our Chinese Language students, email away on the computers at the WLE Student Lounge.
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Birthday Cake
Happy Birthday Robin! Robin Vacha, our Academic year Chinese Language student, enjoyed his birthday cake on Thursday February 28th, 2002.
Bowling competition
On a warm Beijing spring evening, we organized a fun and lively bowling competition for our students. There were totally nine teams, with four team players in each, (the most ever) competing. With relaxing music in the background, the competition began. Most of the students were good bowlers. Laughter could be heard here and there, with the occasional sighs of disappointment. Students got to know one another. This bowling social evening was the perfect chance for WLE students to get to know one another, as new student intakes joined us in Beijing. When the first game finished, Team 8 comprised of Samantha, Dean, Jeff and Fergus had the highest score totaling 465. Fergus contributed the highest score being 140! Overall however, Shannon held the highest score which was a whopping 184! By the time the second game began, Team 8 suffered in particular Fergus and Dean. Team 2 was quickly catching up. Team 2's two female bowlers were extraordinarily good for 'beginners' as they averaged a score of more than 100 points! It was as they said, only the second time they had bowled. At the end of the second game, Team 2 took the honored 1st place. The prize ---- two large size pizzas at Mr. Pizza!
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Tanzhe
Sunday, Mar 17th, World Link students went to Tanzhe Temple as their second weekend trip. Tanzhe Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Beijing. It took an hour and a half by bus to reach the temple. We enjoyed the peaceful surroundings and learnt much about the religious symbolisms, monuments and structures during this two hour tour. Compared to other temples located in Beijing's city surroundings, this one seemed particularly peaceful and relaxing, as it is situated on a mountain. It is an ideal place to relax and meditate.
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CEFTT - China Economical and Foreign Trade Training Project (March 20, 2002)
CEFTT: Prof. Gus Hooke presenting China's entry into WTO and future business opportunities.
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Prof. Gus Hooke, an active member of the China Economical and Foreign Trade Training Project (CEFTT) conducted the first seminar for the China Business March 2002 program. The CEFTT project is a four-year bilateral development cooperation project funded by the Government of Australia and by various ministries and bodies coordinated through China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC). The overall aim of the project is to provide training for government officials regarding the nature and effects of economic liberalization and on the philosophy, rules and regulations of the WTO. Prof. Hooke, addressed our students on 'How China can become a better member of WTO' and 'Business opportunities after China's accession to WTO'. It was a most interesting seminar examining the hot topic of China's future and WTO.
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Symantec (March 25, 2002)
Seminar: "Symantec's operations in China"
Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. Mr. Daniel Cheng, Symantec's Managing Director responsible for the overall growth and development of the company's business in China and Hong Kong, presented the seminar. He examined the current internet security issues, Symantec's business operations and shared his personal views on working in China. His seminar was filled with valuable advice and tips including the difficulties one may encounter when you first start working in China.
Coudert Brothers LLP (March 27, 2002)
Coudert Brothers was the first foreign Law firm to establish a permanent presence in Beijing in 1979 and the first foreign law office to be approved by China's Ministry of Justice to set up a law office in 1992.
Representing Coudert Brother was Mr. Diarmuid O'Brien, a corporate lawyer who presented an introduction to China. The seminar further examined China's WTO commitments regarding investment policies and recent amendments in basic investment laws. The latter resulted after China's accession to the WTO. The China Business program participants reviewed a number of handouts, including an article entitled "Guiding Foreign investment in Industry" recently published by the Unites States - China Business Council.
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Coudert Brothers: Mr. O'Brien outlining the list of required changes to the country's legal system following China's accession to the World Trade Organization.
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CCB Blue Zoo JV field Trip (March 29, 2002)
The first JV field trip was held at the Beijing Blue Zoo. The zoo aquarium is a result of a joint venture between China and New Zealand. It is the first walk-through aquarium established in Beijing. During the study tour we were given a guided tour of the zoo's facilities and a presentation by the General Manager, Mr Chiam Tun Cheng. Mr Cheng provided an informative presentation outlining the joint venture's operations; how and what marketing channels are employed to target the local Beijing people; and his personal insight on working life as a foreigner in China.
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A scary shark swan passed as we walked through the aquarium!
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Two China Business Students, Anna Farr (Scotland) and Jenny Lee (Indonesia), enjoying their visit to the Blue Zoo!
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Toby, Anna, Neil, Dean and Dustin gathered by the shark pool.
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Hu Tong
Sunday, March 31st, one of Beijing's nicest spring day, World Link students took a trip down memory lane, experiencing old Beijing life in the Hutongs. Hutongs are the traditional Beijing residences where people live in courtyards along narrow alleys. Our hutong experience took place in Hou hai, located near the Beihai Park lake. As we walked along the beautiful lake and over a narrow bridge, we felt as if we were at the Summer Palace. This lively hutong district was lined with courtyard homes on one side and old style restaurants on the other. It was easy to imagine how old Beijing life was amidst the crowded narrow alleyways, before property developers entered this ancient city building their sky scrapers. For an insight into traditional hutong life, we visited a hutong home. Mr. and Mrs. Zhang were warm and inviting hosts showed us around and shared their love of their home. Mr Zhang was an erhu player and Mrs Zhang, an actress with the Peking Opera. We were also treated to a wonderful performance by our lovely hosts!
Beijing Opera
Saturday night, April 20th, World Link students went to Liyuan Theatre in Qian men Hotel to enjoy their first time Peking Opera show. Liyuan Theatre is a well-known place for Peking Opera performance for foreigners. The shows there are all chosen parts from most famous Peking Opera plays embodying the quintessential elements of its performing skills. The show for us was selected from two plays "Crossing Road" and "Stealing Silver from the Storehouse". The former described two officials fighting in a very dark room only to find out later that they were really close friends. The latter was part of a fairy tale story describing a martial art girl stealing the silver from the governor's storehouse in order to help other poor people. Both shows mixed singing, martial arts, acrobatics, and Peking Opera performance together. All the students loved it.
Tianjin
Sunday, April 7th, World Link students went out of Beijing to go to Tianjin-the closest harbor city for this weekend trip. Tianjin used to be a colony of Germany, France, and some other European countries. Therefore it still remains some Western style architectures. Tianjin is famous for its local people life style, so the well-known attractions are the antique market, the hand made crafts on the culture street, and the various snacks especially the biggest brand for the steamed dumpling-Gou bu li bao zi on the food street With the development of Tianjin, some old streets have been torn down for the whole construction of the city, as a result we begin to see the modern side of Tianjin. World Link students not only went to visit the antique markets and the snacks street, but also strolled around the city center area-the busiest shopping street compared as Wangfujing in Beijing to sense the current Tianjin life atmosphere.
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