Diplomatic Pouch: With Mike Peters

A delegation from the Danish Board of District Heating headed by the embassy's Minister Counselor Sren Jacobsen visited Xining in Qinghai in the western part of China on Sept 2 to promote Danish heating and cooling technology.

The visit included a Denmark-Qinghai urban heating development exchange seminar with more than 70 participants - including the Danish companies APV, Broen,Danfoss, Grundfos and Kamstrup and some Chinese companies. Zhao Hongyan, deputy director general of Qinghai Department of Housing and Urban Rural Development, represented the Chinese authorities.

Copenhagen's Danish Design Center opened its doors for Copenhagen Design Week last week with Chinese businessmen on the sidelines.

The Sept 6-10 event included activities all around the city in the form of open showrooms, conferences, talks, walks and events organized by commercial partners. Representatives from Chinese companies attended many of the events.

"China has had its eyes open to Danish design for a long time," the Danish embassy in Beijing said on its website, "and the Chinese are willing to spend a lot of money to get inspiration as well as to find Danish project partners and locate new investments."

In October, the Commercial Section at the Danish Consulate General in Shanghai will organize a seminar in Copenhagen, where a delegation of Chinese business leaders have the opportunity to meet with select Danish design companies.

British Consul-General Alastair Morgan in Guangzhou and friends from local charity communities launched the one-year countdown to the 2012 London Paralympics.

The event took place within a specially themed "Canton Market" - a monthly gathering that brings together local businesses, performers, community groups and the local public to raise money for good causes in Guangdong.

The four-hour market had a carnival atmosphere, with a wide range of performances celebrating diversity, and an opportunity for visitors to experience life from the perspective of someone with a disability.

Morgan encouraged Guangdong residents to visit London next year, and highlighted work the consulate is doing to support the local disabled community and promote social diversity.

The Swedish Parliamentary Committee of Enterprise completed a visit to China last week, with a contingent of 14 people led by vice chairwoman Maria Wetterstrand. The committee is responsible for areas including enterprise, energy and trade.

During its visit to Beijing, the committee met its Chinese counterpart - the finance committee of the National People's Congress, as well as the newly established energy authority NEB which is under the National Development and Reform Commission and the patent office SIPO.

The German embassy in Beijing announced that the ongoing Asia-Pacific Weeks in Germany (Sept 6-17) will feature 150 events on the economy, science, culture and society under the themes of health, nutrition and water. The Berlin City Hall lectures will focus on "Chinese Diet and Health" and "Traditional Chinese Medicine".

Embassy news can be sent to mike.peters.cd@gmail.com