Event: Young Entrepreneurs in China and Australia

ab — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:12:42 +0000

Hey, if anyone has time, this looks like a good networking event.

Be inspired by stories of success, as we spend an evening in conversation with these young entrepreneurs. Learn strategies for navigating the current economic environment. Join these speakers as they share their valuable experience.

Ignoring some of the fluffy words, I’d love to get some insight into others’ experiences establishing in China. The event is jointly sponsored by AsiaLink, Melbourne University Confucius Institute, Australia China Business Council and the City of Melbourne. Timing’s a bugger as I’d have to skip my Tai Chi class. Aiyou!

China worries too few foreigners learning Chinese

ab — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:53:05 +0000

According to this Reuters article, the Chinese government would like to see more students studying Chinese. Reading between the lines, it looks like the government believes if more westerners study Chinese, this will in-turn lead to a softening of perceptions towards China. Not a bad idea really as a first step to a better cultural understanding on both sides.

Understanding “Chinese thinking” is in part easier to do once you start to study the language as many phrases and metaphors are derived from history or poems – which in-tern have shaped Chinese culture.

To encourage the adoption of Chinese, Beijing has established “Confucius Institutes” globally. Putting 2 and 2 together, It seems to me that the Confucius Institute at Melbourne University is one of these language centers.

The ramblings of Age » chinese

Event: Young Entrepreneurs in China and Australia

China worries too few foreigners learning Chinese