Diplomatic Pouch: With Mike Peters

The Finnish ambassador, Lars Backstrom, and his wife, Brigitta, hosted a reception at the embassy residence in Beijing last week to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the nation's independence.

Germany's Ambassador Michael Schaefer and a chorus of carolers singing in German, Chinese and English greeted a crowd of about 6,000 people that streamed through last weekend for the embassy's all-day holiday bazaar. Security at the gate kept the crowd to about 2,000 at any given time, but the line moved fast as shoppers bought festive wreaths and candles, snacked on Currywurst served up by Volkswagen employees' families and supped mulled wine prepared by Santa-hatted staffers from Siemens. There was also plenty of gingerbread and other sweets, and handicraft gifts made by German women in Beijing during the previous year. The proceeds support Beijing-based charities for migrant students and for young people with disabilities: Little Flower Projects, China Dolls, Beijing Sun Village, Love and Hope Center (Beijing) for Culture and Development, Hope Foster Home, Stars and Rain Institute for Autism, Beijing Huiling, Beijing Hongdandan Education and Culture Exchange Center.

Swedish sax-playing finance guru Frederic Cho, the resident China expert at Handelsbanken Capital Markets and author of China According to Cho (Kina enligt Cho), made a presentation last week at the Shanghai consul general's residence about how foreigners can relate better to China and "which myths are true and untrue". Earlier he gave a similar talk in Beijing, both events hosted by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.

Albania's Ambassador to China, Kujtim Xhani, hosted a reception at the embassy to celebrate his country's National Day, commemorating its declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire on Nov 28, 1912.

A large delegation from the Danish food industry ended a visit to Beijing and Shanghai recently, to promote food-safety technologies as well as the use of Danish pork, dairy products and vegetables in Chinese cuisine. "Although the Chinese and Danish have very different food cultures," said the Danish Agriculture and Food Council's Mette Gammicchia, "the same commodities form the basis for our meals." The council hosted several seminars and a cooking demonstration with Kenny Fu, a master chef who lives in Beijing.

After a joint UK-China workshop on smart grids was held in Xiamen recently, the British embassy announced that up to 4 million pounds ($6.4 million; 4.9 million euros) is available for British energy scientists to work in partnership with researchers in China to develop collaborative projects in the field of smart grids and the integration of electric vehicles. China will make a similar amount available so about four proposals can be well funded. The deadline for proposals is Jan 22.

The Norwegian choir Cantus from Trondheim recently won the award for best female choir during the first Xinghai Prize International Choir Championship in Guangzhou, Norway's embassy in Beijing announced. The choir's Norwegian conductor, Tove Ramlo-Ystad, was impressed by the high standard of the participants, and members of the jury declared the 30-voice Cantus performance to be "great art".

Send embassy news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/07/2012 page31)