Professor Hugo Deburgh reports on David Willetts recent tour of China. A successful event facilitated by the China Media Centre.
The original purpose – from China Media Centre’s point of view – of agreeing to arrange the Willetts visit was to practice managing similar visits for leading British decision-makers who want to learn about particular aspects of China, something that Song Junfang and price usa tablets cialis I may work on next year. Accompanying Willetts enabled us to create or develop relationships with both Chinese potential partners and with Embassy/British Council personnel, relationships that are potentially valuable for getting access, and certainly for market intelligence. Also, Willetts was guest of honour at two alumni parties and a dinner for leading Chinese intellectuals, at least one of whom I was able to assess as a suitable speaker in the forthcoming Parliamentary Hearings on China.
In what is probably a first for a British politician, David Willetts was invited to speak at the think tank of the Communist Party Central Committee, the Centre for Comparative Politics and Economics, where he was quizzed on subjects such as his own constituency’s electoral record and his views on voluntarism, the British industrial evolution and Greek political theory. This was arranged by Gary Hallsworth, of the British Council, several of whose staff (led by Director Michael O’Sullivan) were very energetic in their arrangements and generous with their time in making the visit a success.
There and acheter viagra autriche elsewhere, Willetts got into long discussions with Chinese intellectuals about governance, and population and social issues which enthral him, such as pensions. I think he was – as everyone is – astonished by the pace, depth and extent of development here, and the ambition which drives it. He saw schools in Peking and Shanghai and was briefed by education officials at different levels. He took the overnight train from Peking to Suzhou where he was as impressed by the brilliant architecture – recalling renaissance Florence as much as southern China – of the new museum by IM Pei, as by the lovely Garden of the Humble Administrator. At a provincial university in Chongqing we saw new campuses that dwarf and best ours; at the automobile factory – 200,000 cars a year – we saw a discipline and productivity that evinces respect. The dominant characteristics of modern China are its pragmatism – nobody wastes time thinking ideologically any longer, they just want to know if something works – and its dynamism. People work tremendously hard and online purchase viagra have an enthusiasm for life that appears underpinned by supportive personal relationships. The third overwhelming characteristic of Chinese society is that importance given to personal relationships, in which a friend will trust another friend more than the law or any impersonal authority.
Other achievements this visit:
In Peking I met the global consultancy McKinseys, CMC’s Knowledge Partner for the forthcoming Westminster Hearings on the Impact of China’s Economic Development on the UK in a useful session (separate report) which helps us solidify the Hearings. Meetings have been, or will be held, with Tsinghua’s Dean of Communications (ongoing projects), the Director of CUC’s new Centre for European Media (with reference to CMC’s plan to set up a European Network on the Chinese Media) and CUC Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Hu Zhengrong about proposed seminars in Peking on Media Regulation.
In Shanghai I attended the debriefing of the Shanghai TV group that had recently studied under Kim Gordon in London, met the Managing Director and talked at length about future projects with the UW alumnus who is now Director of the International office. I also continued discussions with McKinseys (separate report).
In Chongqing we first tried to obtain access to the CQ Media Group leadership through a UW alumnus introduced us by the British Council (and separately identified by Song Junfang). However, we needed to call on our own resources in Peking to obtain a meeting with the decision-makers. After a cool start, once we had told them about the courses being run by KG, and the recent SCIO course run by HB and JS, they became very enthusiastic to work with us.
In Chongqing we were received by the body promoting the city abroad, with a view to sponsorship of one of the Hearings. We have to provide a written breakdown. Their interest prompted us to think that other Chinese companies will also be interested in involvement, and we will be exploring this over the next 2-3 weeks.
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