Although Great Britain is already the largest European investor in China, and Chinese students studying in the UK account for the largest number of foreign students there, and the Chinese language has become a very popular foreign language to study in the UK, there is still much room for cooperation between the two countries, according to a British diplomat in China.
He said recently that they are striving to give Chinese young people aged 16 - 35 greater access to contemporary Britain while also letting young British people know more about China. "Think UK", the largest campaign of its kind organized by the British government is part of this endeavor, strengthening links between young people in both countries.
It is reported that the British government will soon formally publicize this campaign and some of its activities have already successively begun in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing.
Mr. Ben Fender, press officer for the British Embassy in China, said Great Britain had launched a large-scale campaign to introduce the UK in New York in 1998. However, "Think UK" in China will be the largest campaign of its kind the UK has ever launched overseas.
In order to attract more Chinese peoples’ interest to the UK, the British Embassy to China has worked hard to design these activities. They used a bar called "Imaginary Space", located in Beijing’s embassy area, to hold the press conference to communicate with the Chinese media.
According to Ms. Cheng Huiqin of the news division of the British Embassy to China, the core content of this campaign involves the following activities: a sculpture exhibition tour called "Asian Field", which was created by a noted British sculptor with local people and materials from south China’s Guangdong Province; "Sino-British Writers Train", which will allow writers from the two countries to travel all over China by train in search of innovative ideas; "50 Years of DNA ", recollection and history of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the secrets of DNA structures by British scientists; and "Passion for Fashion" which will enable Sino-British young fashion designers to cooperate and compete on the same stage. "Sino-British Challenge Campaign" will let young people of the two countries compete in physical strength, intelligence and endurance.
(China.org.cn translated by Wang Qian April 18, 2003)
