Feast of Asia Writing

Chinese novelist and filmmaker Guo Xiaolu's themes include alienation and tragedy. Provided to China Daily

Feast of Asia Writing

Founded in 2006, The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature is considered the only festival in Britian that is dedicated to writing about Asia and Asians, from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific.

A range of authors have been associated with the festival, including Xue Xinran, Guo Xiaolu, and many other emerging and established writers from places such as Iran, South Asia, Central Asia and Southeast Asian areas.

An outreach program features library reading group projects and a library events program aims to bring the message of cultural understanding to readers throughout Britain.

The program for the 2012 Festival will include themes such as Women, Power and Politics; Writing Revolutions: The Arab Spring and Asia; The Geo-Politics of Oil; Ghosts of Empire; Persianate Poetry; The Many Faces of Love; Women and Water in Pakistan and Busting Stereotypes.

Date: May 15-31

Venue: Asia House, London

Website: http://asiahouse.org

Conferences & Meetings

In China

International Conference on Frontiers of Manufacturing Science and Measuring Technology, Xi'an

The conference aims to promote measuring and manufacturing science, strengthening international academic cooperation and communications, and exchanging research ideas.

Date: June 12-13

Venue: Selected places

Website: http://www.icfmm.org

World CSP Asia Forum, Beijing

A platform for addressing key challenges and strategies faced by the concentrated solar power industry. It is geared toward decision makers from the solar industry across the region.

Date: June 18-21

Venue: China World Hotel

Website: http://www.cspasia.org

Semiconductor Asia, Shanghai

The conference offers a venue for executives from semiconductor equipment and material suppliers to meet key decision makers from semiconductor manufacturers.

Date: June 20-21

Venue: Marriott Hongqiao, 2270 Hongqiao Road

Website: http://www.cdmc.org.cn/sa2012

Offshore Investment Conference, Shanghai

It aims to reveal the abundance of opportunities in the jurisdiction and offer navigation of the multiplicity and complexity of legal and business issues associated with tax, cross-jurisdictional family planning, offshore and onshore structures, wealth succession, philanthropy and personal affairs.

Date: June 20-21

Venue: Pudong Shangri-La

Website: http://www.offshoreinvestment.com

International Conference on e-Learning, Hong Kong

The conference brings together people with different perspectives, experiences and knowledge in one location. It helps practitioners find ways of putting research into practice and researchers to gain an understanding of real-world problems, needs and aspirations.

Date: June 21-22

Venue: The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Website: http://academic-conferences.org/icel/icel2012/icel12-home.htm

Conferences & Meetings

In Europe

Law, Governance and Development: The Transformation of Property Rights in Land and Property Law in China, London

To discuss the significance of the re-emergence of private property in land and the legal framework concerning landed property in the context of rapid socio-economic change in China in the past 30 years from a variety of perspectives while retaining a focus on law.

Date: May 11-12

Venue: Room G3, College Buildings, University of London Russell Square

Website: http://www.soas.ac.uk

Cosmopolitan China, Manchester

The conference is an international gathering convened by the Center for Chinese Studies and Confucius Institute, Pathways to Cosmopolitanism PhD Programme, Research Institute for Cosmopolitan Cultures, and Manchester Architecture Research Center.

Date: May 17-18

Venue: The University of Manchester

Website: http://www.ccs.humanities.manchester.ac.uk

The rising role of yuan - A Corporate Perspective, London

The seminar will discuss the issues companies have faced using renminbi, and success stories of doing business with China. The session will focus on four key topics: foreign exchange, trade, payments and cash management and funding, with discussions from clients who have first hand experience.

Date: May 24

Venue: HSBC Bank, 8 Canada Square

Website: http://www.cbbc.org