Sunday 18 February – a new Chinese Year.
Strange, I always feel emotional during this period of the year. The noise of the fireworks and fire crackers make me nervous. Why? Not that I have something against this traditional holiday (I’ll eat lots of dumplings this evening). I could say, the booms remind me of some war I went through. Not the case. Maybe it reminds me too much of my Brazilian time, very often the Festival comes at the same time as Carnival – both days are linked to moon: 50-47 days before the first Sunday after the first full moon after Vernal Equinox, or in layman’s terms, Ash Wednesday is calculated as 46 days before Easter Sunday, and carnaval falls on the 4 days before Ash Wednesday. (see www.brazilcarnival.com). Easter is linked to the moon cycle…
So this year, both dates are once again the same. When the Year of the Pig starts I always want to put some Samba Enredo at full blast – my Brazilian spirit awakens. Listen here to Unidos de Vila Isabel – 2006.
Saudades, saudades… Vou tomar uma boa pinga. Sim gente boa, achei aqui mesmo em Pequim. Saúde.
Month: February 2007
8 Feb 07: the EU is called for an exciting meeting by MofCom
Well, this is what we all thought.
The meeting was held in the Beijing News Plaza Hotel and attended by a wide range of European embassies and chambers of commerce (the room ended up fully packed). So, out of faithful dedication to the European Chamber I took part, together with its chairman, secretary general and others.
The speakers panel from left to right:
The moderator; Mr. Werner Hans Lauk (German Embassy, Minister Counselor), vice minister Yu Guangzhou of the Ministry of Commerce; Mr. Xu Bingjin, president of CEATEC; Dr. Michael Pulch (EU delegation, Deputy Head, Minister Counselor).
Germany presently holds the EU presidency.
While the EU side was constructive in its declarations and warmly thanked MofCom for hosting the meeting, the much anticipated speech by the vice minister was unfortunately once again a poor example of how some officials make us spend time to listen to non-information. What was communicated in terms of “data” one can read in better detail in China Daily or any other newspaper. Nothing new. As I am used to those lengthy waste-of-time type of meetings, my brain has been trained to do other things (review notes from other meetings, learn Chinese) while being on stand-by to any worthwhile points. Well, I heard three that woke my brain up:
– Germany was in the past a good friend of China but that seems to “have changed”, better tell that to their Chancellor (what did SHE do wrong?)
– the EU should do more to export to China but if EU companies are not competent enough, well, nothing much MofCom can do.
– IPR enforcement is fine and people can get years of prison for it (really? sure?)
Obviously, many in the audience were not amused, particularly by the “comment” about Germany in front of the whole EU audience. They surprised me by their strong reaction (maybe I have become too used to this?)
The EUCCC in the corner: Ian Kay (interim Secretary General), Ms. Carol He (Government Affairs), Ms. Hanna Boehme (SME Working Group Chairperson – Landesbank Baden-Württemberg)
As for us of the European Chamber, we had to provide our name in advance for the seating arrangement. But nothing was done, we had to scramble to find a seat. Who knows what we have done wrong too. Our Position Paper?
Conclusion: I guess few people will turn up in the future for similar meetings. Talking about “communication and bridge building between China and its top trading partner”.
Our consolation prize: a big heavy book (621 pages) all in Chinese, version 2005, about “China and Europe”. Mentions Czechoslovakia. Belgium was not listed (maybe they only know Brussels?). Possibly the ministry had to clean out their stock before printing the 2006 edition.
China does have some excellent communicators and of course needs to defend its national interests, fair enough. They were in other meetings?
The good point for me was to meet other friends from the EU. As for the buffet, I run back home and preferred my bread from the Kempinski and cold cut & Cheese from the Sanlitun Friendship Supermarket.
Later comments: 28 February 07
I received some interesting feedback on the meeting from others. They actually felt the EU speakers came up with too many and too lengthy (and repetitive) complaints on trade issues, upsetting the vice minister. It seems the vice minister then cut short and changed his speech, lashing out at the EU representatives… and omitting the news he was supposed to announce. Well, maybe a valid point. So, as often happens – miscommunication on both sides?
Valerie and Gilbert: re-arranging rooms.
Valerie and me have successfully finished a fruitful cooperation (“hezuo ganbei” we would say here) to re-arrange her room and my office. I needed to accommodate the new scanner and she was so seduced by my old IKEA chair she wanted one for her upcoming Rat’s birthday.
She brought me new trays to make my cluttered desks better organized. Admire my MACs and the rest. So, now you know where the blog is generated and Valerie meditates. Thanks VVK.
World Trade Center and bomb disposal
Looks like a weird combination but it is unintended.
On my way to the Mofcom meeting I passed the construction site of Tower 3 of Beijing World Trade Center, another mega building rising up in CBD.
I will in the future show more images of the never ending construction boom in Beijing. Fascinating to watch how the skyline constantly changes.
I then took the subway at China Hotel (next door) and finally took the picture I had long planned. Indeed, few notice the strange “containers” that sit chained in every subway station in Beijing. They are massive steel containers… actually bomb disposal units. Not to throw your usual trash. Some vendors use them as their table to sell newspapers and magazines…
Beijing 2006: friends leaving… some others coming back
Beijing is, socially speaking, a difficult place to live. Few people stay here for a long time, like we say in Flemish “it’s like a pigeon house” (“duivenkot”), they fly in and out.
Makes it all difficult to know people and makes you reluctant to make friends – they might (will anyway) leave at some point of time. It hurts.
Diplomats tend to avoid friendships. They always rotate from one country to another. Leaving friends behind is hard, so better not make any!? They are a weird kind of people – distant and superficial – I got used to them. Weird, yes, but I sympathize with them.
Beijing is thus a lonely and superficial place.
I feel often frustrated, so difficult to make real friends. You don’t have your pub around the corner, neither your butcher who knows you since years. Here all is un-personal. You don’t make friends. You have business “relations”. It’s like standing in an airport and watching people come and go.
Being one of the few “permanent” museum pieces here, that is maybe the worst part of living here. Never mind the pollution, I smoke cigars anyway and still run marathons.
So, bye bye Dr. Sven-Uwe Müller of the German Embassy, see above his farewell party at the German embassy.
And especially my tough but so cool Delphine (and so charming, lucky guy you Thierry, take good care of her!) from the EUCCC (now in Denmark). Some of the people I will miss. Sure.
But surprises happen.
My old friend (my – sometimes – boss when I was in Alcatel) Patrick Bourrier surfaced here in Beijing. He has the good point of having a Brazilian wife (hehe, no comments). Happens he is also the friend of my tenant here – François Bernard (KPMG). Yeah, small world. Patrick is unique. Talks like a tape recorder and his only competitor is Valerie. Seems he does well with Sun. Hm. Suspicious actually. Pics taken in François’ place and (of course) in Morel’s restaurant.
And then surfaces, from the “dark” ages of the eighties in Beijing (read: the life and death in Beijing Hotel) – Martine, a good friend when I was trying to survive in the Beijing Hotel. Great lady, we had a good time in Morel’s restaurant (where else?). Happy to see you happy Martine. I guess you don’t care, but I do approve of your choice of husband (Jeffrey, Edelman).