The UK's deputy ambassador to China, Chris Wood, was in CCTV5's studios last week for the launch ceremony for the station's new series London Action, with specially designed programs about the London Olympics that will be broadcast during this summer's Games.

Wood and John Gallagher, head of communications for the embassy in Beijing, attended the event. Wood told the audience that preparations for the Games were on time and budget, including transport arrangements. He discussed London 2012's green credentials and the forthcoming "UK Now" cultural festival that is coming to more than 15 Chinese cities in 2012. He also presented Wenlock, one of the Olympic mascots, as a gift to CCTV in appreciation for its work.

CCTV5 is China's exclusive broadcaster for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

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EU Commissioner Michel Barnier, in charge of the internal market and services, will visit China next week to boost EU-China cooperation. Barnier previously visited last March, and his focus on this visit will be on financial services and procurement-related issues. He is also expected to meet Chinese officials to discuss global financial regulatory reform and the G20 agenda, market access and sharing experience and information on both EU and China current reforms and IPR protection.

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Kate McGarry, her husband Keith Ganz, Gary Versace and Jordan Perlson of the Kate McGarry Quartet offered a master class on the art and rhythm of jazz for approximately 200 students of the music school at Guizhou Normal University last month. The Grammy-nominated McGarry is back in the US after a four-week tour of China (Guangzhou, Foshan, Wuhan, Guizhou, Guiyang, Qiqihaer and Harbin ) and Mongolia for the US State Department, and promises a blog posting shortly with photos and videos of the trip (www.katemcgarry.com). The young jazz artist is an old hand at such tours: In 2009 she toured Eastern Europe for a month and in 2010 spent four weeks in South America on State Department-sponsored goodwill trips.

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The Danish Government has made five films to illustrate some of the themes that are high on the agenda during the Danish EU Presidency 2012. "Undoubtedly the economic crisis will be in the center of attention," says Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen. "However, at the same time it is important that the EU continues to make results in other areas important to our daily lives."

Denmark's Ambassador to China Friis Arne Petersen met with China Daily in December to discuss his country's imminent EU presidency. To see the video, log on at www.chinadaily.com.cn/video.

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Famous Norwegian violinist and soloist Henning Kraggerud will participate in the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival through Jan 19, the embassy of Norway announced in Beijing.

Another Norway artist, textile maker Trine Mauritz, has just left China after taking part in the International Shibori Symposium 2011 held in Hong Kong. Shibori is a process of dyeing cloth with a pattern by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, compressing or capping it.

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Finland's former minister of foreign affairs, Par Stenback, will be in China for three days next week (Jan 15-17) on a private visit.

Send embassy news to mike.peters.cd@gmail.com.

(China Daily 01/15/2012 page5)