Diplomatic Pouch: With Mike Peters

Luxembourg's Ambassador to China Carlo Krieger hosted about 200 guests on Oct 20 for a garden party celebrating the marriage of Crown Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy - featuring a live broadcast of the ceremony.

Now the embassy has announced that the crown prince will lead a trade mission to China at the end of November. He will be accompanied by Etienne Schneider, minister of the economy and foreign trade and a business delegation which includes CEOs of well-known companies. The delegation plans to visit Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shanghai and Suzhou.

Finnish Ambassador Lars Backstrom was in Shanghai last week for the launch of Radical Design Week, conceived in the wake of Helsinki's selection as the 2012 World Design Capital. Yrjo Sotamaa, chairman executive vice-director of the Sino-Finnish Center at Tongji University, said the week aimed to leverage Shanghai's enthusiastic response to the Finland Pavilion at World Expo 2010. "Radical design is built on co-creation. It's about crossing boundaries, looking beyond tomorrow and taking responsibility for it," he said.

The British embassy last week announced the launch of the Chevening Scholarship Programme's recruitment round for 2013-14, the 30th anniversary of this British government's flagship scholarship program.

British Ambassador to China Sebastian Wood said: "As the most prestigious UK government scholarship program, Chevening has formed a global, influential alumni network in over 100 countries. China is the single biggest country program and has more than 3,000 Chevening alumni and scholars."

Chevening is a fully funded opportunity for mid-career professionals with leadership potential to study in the UK on a one-year master's program.

The British embassy showcased some of the UK's most famous museums, including the British Museum, the Tate Modern and the Beatles Museum, at the Museum and Relevant Products and Technologies Expo 2012 in Beijing last week.

China's Vice-Foreign Minister Song Tao last week applauded the frequent exchanges between leaders of China and Europe recently.

"In the eight months since I became vice-foreign minister in charge of European affairs, I have paid nearly 10 visits to Europe," he said. "During each visit, I witnessed the tremendous efforts made by Europe to cope with the debt crisis, and I am very glad to see that some of these efforts are showing effect gradually."

European cinema returns to China for a fifth year, as the European Union Film Festival kicked off in four Chinese cities starting on Nov 1. EU Ambassador Markus Ederer was on hand for the Beijing launch party on Thursday.

Featuring 26 films from all over Europe, along with a selection of short films, the festival is presented by the Delegation of the European Union to China in partnership with the EU member states and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. The event is making an encore in Beijing, Chengdu and Shenzhen, and is joined this year by a fourth host city, Tianjin.

Send embassy and consulate news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/02/2012 page31)