The Bristol China Partnership

Annual General Meeting

Chairman’s Report 2001

26th February 2002

Dear:    President, The Rt.Honourable the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor. Brenda Patricia Hugill, Officers. Executive Members, Members and Friends

The undisputed highlight of this year was the signing of our Sister City Agreement with Guangzhou.

The Partnership was delighted to host a visit to Bristol by a senior delegation of Guangzhou Municipal People's Government headed by the Mayor of Guangzhou, Mr. Lin Shu Sen.

SUMMARY OF THE VISIT:

Mayor Lin's visit to Mail Marketing Group, featured a tour of the high-tech call centre and of particular interest was the web-enabled facility. John Hughes was pleased to introduce his son Michael and to renew his acquaintance with the Mayor of Guangzhou through his association with the Bristol China Partnership.

Lunch was enjoyed at Jury's Bristol Hotel, which is located on the waterfront. With stunning views overlooking the historic harbour in the heart of our vibrant city centre, it is only a short stroll across Pero's bridge until you come to the fantastic "@ Bristol" development.

The visit to the University of Bristol, conducted by Mr. Tim Jones, Director of International Affairs, was an opportunity for the delegation to get a glimpse of the University campus and experience some ongoing work at first hand. The visit began with the Neo-Gothic splendour of the Wills Memorial Building at the top of Park Street. It then continued to the high technology of the Merchant Venturers building, home to
Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, where they visited a computer teaching laboratory. Professor Muir Wood, Professor of Civil Engineering, then showed them the earthquake shaking table and the wind tunnel laboratories in the Queen's Building. The visit was rounded off in the ornate plasterwork surroundings of Royal Fort House, once home to the Tyndall family.
The University of Bristol and the Bristol China Partnership organised a joint reception for the Mayor of Guangzhou in the historic surroundings of Goldney Hall Orangery.

The event gave an opportunity for academic staff and Chinese students from the University and business people from Bristol and beyond to meet the Mayor and his delegation over wine and canapés, accompanied by superb music from the children of Guangzhou.

Mr Terry Leahy (chief executive of Tesco U.K.) was very pleased to accept the opportunity of a breakfast meeting with the Mayor of Guangzhou during his recent visit to Bristol. This proved mutually beneficial, as it furthered the business understanding with the Mayor of one of the leading provinces in China.

A waterbus tour of the city centre, (thoroughly enjoyable), was taken on 'Matilda'. 'Matilda' was designed and built by the Bristol Ferryboat Company especially for use in Bristol's Harbour.

On the 23rd May 2001, The Sister City Agreement was signed at a civic ceremony held at Bristol’s Council House. The Lord Mayor of Bristol presented an original painting to the Mayor of Guangzhou. The painting by Mr Vincent Neave, President of the Bristol Savages was especially commissioned for the visit. It featured a scene of Bristol's famous Suspension Bridge. The Mayor of Guangzhou reciprocated by presenting the Lord Mayor of Bristol with an exquisite intricate sculpture of a Carp carved from Jade.

After the Ceremony a reception was held in the Conference Hall where the Children of Guangzhou performed.

A civic dinner followed in the evening, held at the Mansion House. Bristol's finest Silver and Crystal glass was displayed and used by the guests, signifying the high regard, which the City placed on the occasion.

OTHER VISITS:

Guangdong Province Delegation, August 2001.A visit was made by a Guangdong delegation on the 23rd of August led by Mr Zhou Qing Zheng

(The Director General of Overseas Chinese Nationalities & Religious Affairs Commission of Standing Committee). The People’s Congress of Guangdong Province (SCPCGP) with eleven further delegates traveled from London to visit "The Sister City" Bristol and met with the Lord Mayor Cllr Brenda Hugill, Mr Paul Barnett, Cllr Peter Abraham and several BCP members. Lunch was hosted at the Dynasty Restaurant, followed by an exchange of gifts and a tour of the City by Waterbus.

Trade Delegation, 14th September 2001
The visit was led by Mr. Chen Kai-Zhi (Chairman of CPPCC Guangzhou Committee), President of Guangzhou Association for International Exchange. Eleven more members were in the delegation that traveled from London to visit "The Sister City".

Their first appointment at "Mail Marketing International" hosted by it's Chairman Mr John Hughes, who welcomed the delegation and BCP members, then personally conducted a tour of the Mail Marketing operation. This was followed by luncheon and an informal question and answer session on the technical aspects of mail marketing.

The afternoon continued with a short tour of the University of Bristol, conducted by Mr Tim Jones, followed by an introductory talk from Claire Axel-Berg, the Director of Overseas Recruitment at the Bristol Enterprise Centre, Merchant Venturer's building. After this successful tour of the University, the delegates were invited to the Council House, where a courtesy tour was conducted by Sandra, (a member in the Department of Environment, Transport and Leisure for the Bristol City Council) who acted as their guide.
Trade Delegation, 19th October 2001.

Madam ZHANG GUO YING, Chairman of "The Standing Committee" People's Congress of Guangdong Province plus nine representatives visited Bristol. The delegation registered at Jury's Hotel and toured the city by waterbus in the morning, followed by an enjoyable lunch at the River Station where Cllr Helen Holland was introduced to Madam Zhang Guo Ying and exchanged gifts.

Mr Tim Jones greeted the party at The Hawthorns during the afternoon and toured the University with his gues

 

At 6pm the delegation were invited to a private viewing of The Michael Snow Exhibition at the Arnolfini Art Centre. An engraved Bristol Blue Glass vase was presented to Madam ZHANG GUO YING by Kam Wong on behalf of the Bristol China Partnership.ts.

The following day, the Lord Mayor Cllr Brenda Hugill was introduced to Madam ZHANG and her group at Jury's Hotel. Warm and friendly exchanges of communication, questions and answers took place through interpreters. There was an exchange of gifts and many delightful photographs were taken prior to the delegation departing for London and the final stage of their European tour

A brief of Guangdong
Guangdong is the southern most province of Mainland China it covers an area of 177.900 square kilometers with a population of 86.6 million people. The Capital City is Guangzhou, also known as Ram City and The City of Flowers. Under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province, there are 21 cities, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou Shaoguan, Heyuan, Meizhou, Huizhou, Shanwei, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Foshan, Yanjiang, zhanjiang, Maoming, Zhaoqing, Qingyuan, Chaozhou, Jieyang and Yunfu. Guangdong is well known in China as the homeland for Chinese living abroad. Some 20 million people from this region reside abroad, scattered over 100 countries, this number represents over 70% of all Chinese expatriates.

EDUCATION LINKS 25th October 2001
Most teachers wouldn’t volunteer to spend their half-team break in the classroom, but when seven teachers were invited on a fact-finding trip to Bristol’s Sister city in Guangzhou/China, they jumped at this opportunity.

West meets East  - The seven teachers spent half team in the southern city of Guangzhou, making new friends and visiting schools. These schools are:

BCP 3rd ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 30th Oct 2001
Bristol China Partnership celebrated our 3rd anniversary at the JURY’S Hotel on the 30th October 2001, members and friends in excess of a hundred people, traveled from all over of the country to Bristol in order to celebrate this very special occasion.

The evening hosted by our President, The Rt., Honorable the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr. Brenda Patricia Hugill and the Lady Mayoress, who were to introduce Mr Timothy Jones, Director of International Affairs at University of Bristol.

The event turned out to be great success and the level of positive response we received was overwhelming. As we look forward to the New Year, We aim to build on the progress we have achieved so far, and develop the relationship between Bristol and China even further.

IN MEMORANDOM
We are mindful of the loss of one of The Bristol China Partnership's founder members, Mr. Paul Garland,

Professor John Frandon, BCP Executive member, a leading surgeon and professor at Bristol University. Professor of surgery John Frandon, aged 55, collapsed and died at the start of the meeting at the city’s medical school. The professor, who plays a key role in the Bristol Heart Inquiry, had been based at the University since 1988. Our sincere condolences go to their families.

A NOTE OF THANKS
The Partnership would like to express it's sincere gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Ma Zhengang, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UK, The Mayor of Guangzhou Mr LIN Shusen, Guanghzou Municipal People’s Government, Mr Andrew Seaton, Mr Stephen Lillie of The British Government, The Bristol City Council, The Ex-Lord Mayor Cllr.Graham Robertson OBE, Lady Mayoress, Mrs Joyce Robertson, The Lord Mayor of Bristol, and all the people who have been involved with the BCP. Together with the support of it's sponsors who have enabled us to develop closer links with the people of China.

I would also like to extend my personal thanks to all our Officers, members of the Bristol China Partnership, without whose support and hard work since the conception of this Sister City link, this achievement would not have been possible.

I look forward to all your continuous efforts and support.

Kam L Wong