China Center News

Spring 2002

Chinese Vice Chairman Visits the University

Professor Jiang Zhenghua, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee, National People's Congress of China, visited the U of M April 1-8 to promote comparative demographic research on China and the U.S. and to announce a new agreement between the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics and the U of M Population Center. Thanks in part to the support of Prof. Jiang, the National Bureau of Statistics recently signed an agreement with the Minnesota Population Center to share census data as part of the center's Integrated Public Use Microdata Series International (IPUMS International) project. Discussions are underway to exchange students and faculty in order to extend Chinese participation in the project. Professor Jiang's lecture on "China's Economic Development and Cooperation: The U.S. and the World" discussed the effects of the opening of China's economy on the changing labor-force. As state industries recede, re-directing labor toward more productive industries is a major challenge, Prof. Jiang explained. The lecture was followed by a period of questions and answers.

At the Population Center, Prof. Jiang gave a seminar on the demographic transformation of China resulting from the one-child policy. He pointed out that without the family planning program that began in 1974, which averted over 400 million births, China's population would now be bigger by the size of the entire USA. Consequently, China is now smaller in relative terms, accounting for 21 percent of the world's population, than it has been for a thousand years. The shrinkage will accelerate by the middle of the century as China's population peaks and then begins to decline, while the total world population continues to grow. President Yudof welcomed Prof. Jiang to the University with a reception at Eastcliff. Many friends of the China Center attended along with University faculty, staff, and students.

— by Professor Robert McCaa, Minnesota Population Center

UNDP Projects

Led by Mr. Ming Yalin, director of CICETE, the Chinese Agriculture Delegation for Seed Industry — UN Development Project (UNDP) visited in January. The delegation discussed collaborations in agriculture, biological and medical sciences with the U of M.

Dr. Frank Busta, head emeritus and professor of Food Science and Nutrition, has been named the UNDP Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) of the Food Processing project in China. The project, Enhancing Agri-Prosessing Within WTO Framework, is the second UNDP project to be overseen by the U of M and will last 5 years.

Beijing Training Executives

On April 15, 17 executives from the Beijing Municipality started a 4-month leadership training program at the U of M. They will participate in 20 workshops in business and public administration, law, human resources, advanced English, and American culture. Professional visits to local and federal government agencies as well as corporations will take place.

 

China Day 2002

On April 19, the China Center sponsored China Day 2002, together with the Asian Languages & Literatures Department, the Institute of Global Studies, and five local high schools that offer Chinese language courses.

It was an exciting day for more than 300 high school students from Minnetonka, Highland Park, Central, Breck, and South who came to the University. The goal was to encourage the students to continue to study Chinese, provide an opportunitiy for them to meet other high school students who are also studying the language, while informing them about the Chinese program offered at the University.

Events of the day included inspirational speaker Kent Kedl who shared personal stories of studying Chinese, a treasure hunt led by U of M student guides to three China-related destinations on campus, a video on China, and a panel discussion with History Professor Chris Isett, CLA Advisor Sally Leiberman, Asian Languages and Literatures alumnus Meghan Flanagan, and current U of M students Erik Quam and Craig Curtis.

The following quotes exemplify some of the responses from those who attended:

"I thought Kent Kedl's speech was GREAT! If anyone was inspired by him, it was ironically me - the student already years into her Chinese studies. I've been nervous about my Taiwan abroad experience this summer and getting kind of burned out of studying Chinese, and he really helped to build my excitement for it back up!"
— Lindsie Brown, U of M Student Guide

"I hadn't known what to expect of China Day. I honestly thought that we were going to be quizzed and get to eat Chinese food, but it obviously was not so. My thoughts on China Day was that it was actually quite interesting. I learned more about what the U of M had to offer.... As a junior I am looking into many colleges right now, and I am also very interested in continuing with my Chinese. The program gave me and many others the chance to see what opportunities the U of M gives."
— Mee Thao, Central High School Student

"Thank you so much for all your hard work on China Day. We really appreciate your efforts. It was a tremendous success."
— Margaret Wong, Chinese Teacher at Breck School

A Chinese Scholar's Report on Meeting with Jiang Zhenghua

Monday, April 8, 25 students, scholars, and faculty members had a very productive discussion with Professor Jiang Zhenghua, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress. At the meeting, people raised questions regarding various aspects of current status and policies in China. Many Chinese international students are planning to go back to China after graduation, but they have concerns with the status of the job market in China. Professor Jiang frankly admitted that many issues still remain unsolved. However, he emphasized the continuous effort of the Chinese government would work to resolve problems in a timely fashion.

— Zhang Weiyong, U of M Student

Jiang Zhenghua and U of M Students and Scholars

Campus Cable Adds CCTV International

The CLA Language Center, together with the international channel, successfully arranged for CCTV (China Central Television) International to appear on the Twin Cities campus cable line-up. CCTV is a Beijing-based TV station that broadcasts Chinese culture, sports, news, music, travelogue, financial review, business guide, and more. You can watch CCTV International in the CLA Language Center's computer lab in Folwell Hall 148 any time the lab is open.

— Zhen Zou, Asian Languages & Lituratures

Recent Visitors
January – April 2002

From January 13 – 15, an Economic & Trade Delegation from Zhejiang, led by Li Gonghang, visited the University with hopes to foster business relations between Chinese and American companies.

Professor Li Xiangdong, vice dean, School of Public Policy and Government of Sichuan University, visited the University of Minnesota from February 21– 24. Professor Li, also a businessman, explored the possibility of establishing an endowment scholarship fund for the China Center.

Peng Yong, CEO and chairman of the Board of Rich Group, visited the U of M on February 25. Mr. Peng spoke with Chinese students and scholars on the development of future job opportunities in the private sector in China.

The Vice Mayor of Yantai, Zhang Renqiang, and his delegation visited the University April 22 – 25. Dr. Cheng and other professors from the campus met to discuss future agricultural cooperation. Dr. Gene Allen was invited by the Yantai Municipal Government to be a keynote speaker for The Fourth International Agri-Processing Conference in Yantai this fall.

From April 26 to May 2, a delegation from Sichuan University led by Vice President Zhang Zhaoda visited the U. An objective of the visit was to discuss potential collaborative programs between the medical school, other colleges in the medical sciences, and Sichuan University.

Commissioner Randy Johnson, Professor Li Xiangdong and Vice President Christine Maziar

U of M Welcomes Hong Kong Commissioner

Jacqueline Ann Willis, Hong Kong Commissioner to the U.S., visited the University on Wednesday, April 24. As the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's most senior representative in North America, Commissioner Willis directs all of Hong Kong's economic development, trade policy, and constituency-building activities in the U.S.

While at the University of Minnesota, Commissioner Willis had lunch with a variety of members of the University community including Vice President Christine Maziar and Dean Ted Davis of the Institute of Technology. She also gave a public lecture titled "Hong Kong and the United States: Indispensable Partners in the Global Economy."

Commissioner Willis and U of M Guests

A Faculty Member Reflects on China

Regents Professor G. Edward Schuh visited China in January 2002. Part of his visit was devoted to lectures at Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Schuh was on the U.S. delegation that negotiated the first trade agreement between China and the United States (in May 1979) and has returned for a number of visits in the intervening period. Schuh notes that China's economic growth is impressive. The physical infrastructure in Beijing and surrounding states is characteristic of a modern economy, as are the buildings that stretch to the sky. China's entrance into the WTO will undoubtedly give it a large stimulus for further economic growth and development. It will at the same time bring many labor adjustment problems to China, as well as to its trading partners. Schuh expects China and India to have an effect on the international economy in the 21st century similar to what Germany and Japan had on the international economy in the 20th century.

Director Hong Yang Travels with Governor Ventura to China

Dr. Hong Yang will travel with Governor Jesse Ventura on a trade mission to China June 7 – 15. As a member of the Governor's delegation, Yang represents the U of M in the "State of Minnesota Business Development Mission to China." In addition to the Governor's delegation, four delegations including the media, agriculture, medical, and IT are part of the mission to China.

Summer China Center Staff

Sam Song, Training Program Assistant, at the China Center is also a PhD student at the U of M, majoring in Comparative and International Development and Education. Besides his background working as college faculty and senior school administrator in China, Mr. Song has worked with crosscultural programs and coordinating exchanges between China and western countries. He was involved with several intercultural activities, including coordinating and interpreting for a local government delegation to western European countries in the summer of 1998, and coordinating for two Chinese religious groups visiting the United States from 1999 to 2001. Sam has a dream of running a private university in China after the completion of his PhD program. He likes to read and play pingpong in his spare time.

Jacqueline Romano, Program Assistant, at the China Center was born and raised in St. Paul, though has traveled extensively in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. She received a B.A. at the University of British Columbia, Canada, majoring in International Relations with special emphasis on International Diplomacy, Security, and Peace Studies. Following her undergraduate education, she worked in Chile for two years. In December 2001, she returned to the Twin Cities and is very enthusiastic about working at the China Center where she hopes she can use her professional background and international experience to make a positive contribution.

Joab D. Meyer, Program Assistant, has come to the China Center after working for a non-profit organization that helps college graduates find internships in China. Joab has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in East Asian Studies from the U of M. He also studied Chinese at Nankai University for a year in Tianjin on the IRSEP Scholarship. While in China he served as a Project Coordinator for Jian Hua Foundation, a relief and development organization. Joab looks forward to utilizing his education and experience in China to further connect the U and China. He and his wife, Emily, hope to work in either Northern Thailand or Southern China in the future.

Congratulations to the 2002-2003

...... Scholarship Winners

Craig Curtis: China Scholarship Council, Yunnan University

Jonathan Tiechrow: Hsiao Scholarship, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Melissa Kittock: Hsiao Scholarship, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Adam Wolff: Hsiao Scholarship, Tsinghua University

Ryan Johnson: International Reciprocal Student Exchange Program, Nankai University

...... And to the U of M Exchange Students

Matthew Connell: CUEP, Nankai University

David Tutelman: CUEP, Peking University

Congratulations to Professor Hy Berman

Professor Berman, a History Professor and China Center Advisory Council Member, has been awarded the University's Outstanding Community Service Award for his role as public historian to the people of Minnesota. Twin Cities Public Television, MPR and KARE 11 News were Professor Berman's partners in these efforts.

2002 Summer Student Programs to China

IT Global Seminar

When: May 19 – June 15
Where: Tsinghua Univeristy, Beijing
Organizer: Susan Kubitschek, IT

China's Urban Sites and Global Trade Program

When: May 28 – June 14
Where: Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai
Organizer: Ted Farmer, Institute for Global Studies

Summer in Tianjin

When: June 14 – Agugust 17
Where: Nankai University, Tianjin
Organizer: Joe Allen, Department of Asian Languages and Literature

Travel Study in Hong Kong, with trips to mainland China

When: Summe 2002
Organizer: Student Project for Amity Among Nations (SPAN)

Faculty Travel Grants: Summer 2002 Awards

Su Chen, University Library

Kenneth Doyle, Journalism & Mass Communication

Zhuangyi Liu, Mathematics & Statistics, UMD

Charles F. Thomas, Univeristy Library

Dong Wang, Water, Soil & Climate

David Levinson, Civil Engineering

Deadline for 2002-2003 Faculty Travel Grants

To travel Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. 2002 — Apply by August 1, 2002

To travel Jan., Feb., Mar., April 2003 — Apply by Dec. 2, 2002