Spanish wines follow Iberian ham to China

Alberto Alonso Diaz, commercial counselor at the Spanish embassy in Beijing, is leading a team in Chengdu this weekend to showcase the wines of his country. The occasion: the 2012 China Sugar and Alcoholic Commodities Fair, which ends on Monday.

The commercial section sponsored similar programs late last year to promote sherry and Iberian ham. Sherry trainer Stefan Fleischer demonstrated the differences between sherry, brandy and cognac, while other presenters explained how Iberian ham contains LDL, which can help promote the composition of beneficial cholesterol and a high amount of vitamin E, a good antioxidant. The sherry and ham program was at Bar Code Vinos & Tapas, a Spanish restaurant and bar in Beijing.

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India's Deputy Chief of Mission Rahul Chhabra and the Beijing International Society recently hosted a conversation between Kunal Basu, author of The Yellow Emperor's Cure, and CCTV-9 host James Chau at India's newly opened embassy compound near Liangmaqiao. I would tell you what they said, but then I'd have to kill you, as all BIS programs are strictly off-the-record.

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China's Ambassador to Bahrain Yang Weiguo will host a one-week Chinese art festival next week to boost ties between Manama and Beijing. The festival will showcase suxiu, one of the four major Chinese embroidery styles, and other Chinese embroidery masterpieces.

A folk dance troupe, Little White Egret, will perform traditional dances of ethnic minority groups in south Fujian province.

Xinjiang folk songs and dances as well as Shaolin kungfu will also be performed during the event, which is part of the celebrations for Manama being named Arab Capital of Culture 2012.

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Simon Lever, British consul general in Chongqing, hosted a UK Sustainable Cities Mission last week during a two-day survey of that huge Chinese city. "Many UK companies are expressing interest in the opportunities available in Chongqing and in particular in the Two Rivers New Zone," Lever said. "We think UK companies are uniquely placed to help Chongqing's sustainable development." The mission's next stop is Changsha.

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Irish Ambassador to China Declan Kelleher will host his country's Prime Minister Enda Kenny at an embassy reception on Wednesday during the PM's visit with a large trade delegation. The trip is the second leg of what Western media called "a global St. Patrick's Day charm offensive" to woo investment from the United States, China and other countries.

Media reports say Kenny has deployed 16 of his government's ministers to Canada, China, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, nine European neighbors and several other American cities from Boston to San Francisco. Kenny was in Washington last week.

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More than 100 officials from anti-monopoly enforcement agencies, representing the central government and all provinces in China, attended the third "competition week" on March 12-16. Authorities from EU member states presented training workshops and seminars in Beijing, Shenzhen and Wuxi to offer technical assistance and to engage with their counterparts at the twice-yearly event.

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General Sverker Goranson, Sweden's Supreme Commander, visited China last week at the invitation of Chinese General Chen Bingde. Peacekeeping operations were the focus of their discussions, as well as China's participation in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the possibility to train Chinese personnel in UN-accredited courses at the Armed Forces International Centre Swedint.

The visit was a follow-up to Chen's visit to Sweden in 2011. Goranson also visited PLA artillery and air defense units before he left China on Friday.

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Sweden's Ambassador to China Lars Freden and Minister Counselor Jakob Kiefer were in Sanya on Hainan Island recently to catch the China stop of the offshore Volvo Ocean Race.

The contestants in the race were also welcomed by Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Group and Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volvo Cars. Freden participated in a broadcast talkshow where he discussed sailing and the Swedish ship Gothenborg with Chinese history professor Qian Wenzhong and actors Wu Xiubo and Shen Xiaocen.

Send embassy news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn.