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612Winter 2008-9 IssueCONNECT is the quarterly newsletter of theEU-China Managers Exchange and TrainingProgramme (METP) and the EU-China ManagersAssociation (EUCMA).CONNECT is free of charge. Please contact usfor subscription or additional copies.CONNECT is also available for free download atwww.metp.net.cn.CONNECT is published with financial assistancefrom the European Commission. The viewsherein in no way reflect an official opinion of theCommission.EditorsXu Liang, Dr. Stefan Hell, Rachel ZhaoContactEU-China Managers Exchange and TrainingProgramme (METP)Suite 507, Towercrest PlazaNo.3 Maizidian West Road,Chaoyang DistrictBeijing 100016, P.R. ChinaTel.: +86-10-8458 0585Fax: +86-10-8468 0965Email: info@metp.net.cnWeb : www.metp.net.cn中 国 - 欧 盟 经 理 人 交 流 培 训 项 目中 国 北 京 市 朝 阳 区 麦 子 店 西 路 3 号北 京 新 恒 基 国 际 大 厦 507 室邮 编 :100016电 话 :+86-10-8458 0585传 真 :+86-10-8468 0965电 子 邮 箱 :info@metp.net.cn网 站 :www.metp.net.cnDesign & Layout byYang Yanchao, Dr. Stefan HellCopyeditorJan BarkerPrinted in 2,000 copies by8Editorial 3METP at a Glance:An exciting Opportunity for Business and CareerDevelopment in Europe and China项 目 简 介 : 推 动 中 欧 商 贸 发 展 和 人 才 培 养 4Bridging Cultures:88 European and Chinese Managersat the Intercultural Training for METP 3 6The METP 3 Intercultural Training at CEIBS 8First EU-China Networking Daybrings together 150 Professionals 10METP hosts second Gala Dinnerand METP 2 Graduation Ceremony 11METP Group Photo 14"METP is a very good Initiativewith very good Results and very good future Perspectives!"Interview with Yu Ping, Vice Chairman of the China Councilfor the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) 16METP Training of Chinese Managers:A truly European Combination 18The Business Programme for European Participants in METP 2 20METP in the Press 22METP News 242

EditorialDear Reader,Avery eventful year 2008 for the EU-China METP is drawing to a close; 56participants of METP 1, our first intake,finalised their training in April 2008, also68 participants of METP 2 began and completedtheir training and 88 participants of METP 3 commenced their training in October. In parallel, METP4 was promoted all across the EU and China, and we are now gearing up for this fourth intake to openits doors in May 2009.In this issue of CONNECT we again try to provide you with a variety of information on METPactivities during the past months. Several articles will highlight the third instalment of our interculturaltraining; this marks the joint start of each training intake for all Chinese and European participantsin METP. We also highlight our cooperation with the ChinaEurope International Business School (CEIBS) for this interculturaltraining, which continues to be highly appreciated byour participants.A highlight for our programme for 2008 was the secondgraduation ceremony, organised in late October in Beijing. Thisissue of CONNECT features a number of photos taken at thisfestive event, chaired by Mr. Yu Ping, Vice Chairman of CCPITand European Commissioner Dr. Dalia Grybauskaitė. We arevery pleased that Mr. Yu Ping has also agreed to sit down withCONNECT for an interview, which you will find in this issue.As usual, CONNECT also assembles a host of other informationon our activities in Europe and in China, on study toursand capacity building measures, on our business programme aswell as the METP Christmas party, and much more.We hope you enjoy this issue of CONNECT. If you wish tobecome involved in METP’s training activities as an individualmanager, company, or partner, we would be delighted to hearfrom you. The METP website, with the most comprehensiveand up-to-date information on METP, is only a click away, sodo visit us at www.metp.net.cn and have a look around.Finally, we want to express our thanks to all our colleaguesand partners in China and Europe for the hard workthroughout 2008. Our joint efforts have turned METP into thegreat success it has become. We wish all METP participants,partners and stakeholders a happy, healthy and successfulNew Year 2009!Xu LiangMETP Project DirectorDr. Stefan HellMETP Team Leader3

项 目 简 介推 动 中 欧 商 贸 发 展 和 人 才 培 养0 0 6 年 7 月 启 动 的 中 国 - 欧 盟 经 理 人 交 流培 训 项 目 是 中 国 和 欧 盟 在 国 际 贸 易 领域 开 展 的 政 府 间 合 作 项 目 。 在 中 欧 关 系日 益 紧 密 的 今 天 , 本 项 目 致 力 于 人 力 资 源 开发 , 以 达 到 提 高 从 事 中 欧 商 贸 交 流 的 人 才 数量 和 质 量 的 目 的 。 项 目 计 划 分 别 在 中 国 和 欧洲 培 训 中 欧 经 理 人 各 200 名 并 资 助 他 们 到 中欧 企 业 或 机 构 实 习 。项 目 的 中 方 执 行 机 构 是 中 国 国 际 贸 易 促 进委 员 会 。 中 国 商 务 部 是 项 目 执 行 的 中 方 主 管部 门 ; 欧 洲 委 员 会 驻 华 代 表 团 是 项 目 的 欧方 主 管 机 构 。 项 目 执 行 期 为 四 年 , 总 预 算 为23000000 欧 元 。项 目 培 训 将 分 四 期 进 行 : 一 期 培 训 已 于 2007年 8 月 启 动 , 二 期 培 训 将 于 2008 年 3 月 启 动 , 三 期 培训 将 于 2008 年 10 月 启 动 、 四 期 培 训 计 划 于 2009 年 5月 启 动 。 所 有 培 训 费 用 将 由 项 目 承 担 , 并 为 每 位 参训 经 理 人 提 供 生 活 补 贴 和 旅 行 补 贴 。参 训 中 国 经 理 人 和 欧 洲 经 理 人 将 首 先 在北 京 展 开 为 期 两 周 的 跨 文 化 交 流 培 训 。 随 后 ,中 国 经 理 人 将 赴 欧 洲 三 所 知 名 商 学 院 ( 巴 黎 高等 商 学 院 - 欧 洲 管 理 学 院 、 曼 彻 斯 特 城 市 大 学商 学 院 、 布 鲁 塞 尔 自 由 大 学 索 尔 韦 商 学 院 ) 接受 7 周 量 身 定 制 的 管 理 培 训 。 培 训 结 束 后 , 项 目将 支 持 中 国 经 理 人 在 欧 盟 企 业 或 机 构 进 行 为期 7 到 21 周 的 实 习 。同 时 , 欧 洲 经 理 人 将 在 北 京 的 对 外 经 济 贸 易 大学 接 受 为 期 7 个 月 的 全 职 汉 语 语 言 培 训 , 期 间还 将 参 加 文 化 及 商 业 主 题 的 研 讨 和 访 问 活 动 。培 训 结 束 后 , 他 们 将 在 中 国 的 企 业 或 机 构 实 习三 个 月 。所 有 的 项 目 参 与 者 都 可 以 加 入 中 国 欧 盟经 理 协 会 。 该 协 会 是 已 顺 利 实 施 的 中 国 - 欧盟 青 年 经 理 人 培 训 项 目 的 校 友 联 谊 会 。 管 理协 会 的 理 事 会 由 选 举 产 生 的 志 愿 者 组 成 。 其宗 旨 是 为 参 与 项 目 的 经 理 人 提 供 更 多 后 续 支持 , 提 供 各 类 商 务 联 谊 活 动 机 会 , 从 而 扩 大会 员 的 商 务 联 系 网 络 。4

METP at a Glance:An exciting Opportunity for Business andCareer Development in Europe and ChinaThe EU-China Managers Exchange and TrainingProgramme (METP), launched in July 2006, is a fouryearintergovernmental cooperation project between theEuropean Commission and the Government of the People'sRepublic of China in the field of international trade. Locatedin the dynamic context of continuously developing relationsbetween the EU and China, the programme aims to enhancebusiness expertise by developing European and Chinese humanresources. METP's main purpose is to organise training andfinancially support internships for 200 Chinese and 200 Europeanmanagers.METP is implemented by the China Council for thePromotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in close consultationwith the Ministry of Commerce on the Chinese side and theDelegation of the European Commission to China and Mongoliaon the European side. Over four years the total funding forMETP is 23,000,000 euros.METP training is structured in four intakes: METP 1 startedAugust 2007, METP 2 March 2008, METP 3 starts October 2008and METP 4 is scheduled for May 2009. METP covers all tuitionfees for participants, provides a generous living allowance andtravel subsidies.Each of the four intakes starts with a joint two-weekintercultural training for all selected Chinese and Europeanmanagers in China. Following the intercultural training Chinesemanagers receive seven-weeks of tailor-made managementtraining at three leading European business schools (ESCP-EAP,European School of Management, Manchester MetropolitanUniversity Business School and Solvay Business School atUniversité Libre de Bruxelles). After their training METPsupports Chinese managers to take up internships of betweenseven and twenty one weeks with enterprises and organizationsin the European Union.Following their intercultural training European managersbegin an intensive, full-time seven-month Business Chineselanguage training at the University of International Business andEconomics in Beijing; this is complemented by seminars andworkshops on cultural and business issues. Afterwards they arealso assisted to take up internships lasting at least twelve weekswith a company or organisation in China.E u r o p e a n a n d C h i n e s e participants ofMETP may join the EU-China M a n a g e r sAssociation (EUCMA), an alumnia s s o c i a t i o noriginally set up for the JMTP( E U - C h i n aJunior Managers TrainingProgramme).EUCMA offers its membersf u r t h e rassistance and a wide varietyof additionalnetworking opportunities andpromotionale v e n t s t o c o n t i n u e t h edevelopmentof useful business contacts afterthe training.5

Bridging Cultures:88European and Chinese Managers at the Intercultural Training for METP 3Business contacts between China and Europe, joint businessprojects and the interdependence of economiesare increasing from year to year. This increase in thequantity of economic relationships and exchange callsfor the necessity to continuously increase the quality of mutualunderstanding among business partners, and in the final analysisthe necessityof sustainabletranscontinentalrelations.Interculturallearning is animportant toolfor deepeningthis kind mutualunderstandingand creatingsustainable relationships. Intercultural learning is an approachthat brings about reliable cooperation in the business fieldand focuses on two dimensions: cognition and also skills andprocess competencies. The cognitive dimension of interculturallearning provides participants with different practical and backgroundinformation about cultures that are part of the processof interaction. Very often, however, this type of knowledge isfar overestimated. It goes without saying that information aboutdifferent cultural styles is important and relevant. But it remainsonly descriptive and therefore only of limited use, in particularif individuals of different cultures live and work together. Morespecifically, to speak of Europe or China as a single entity, toignore regional differences and different cultural styles seemsquite unacceptable. Even worse, although understandable, weoften speak about the Westerners (whoever these people are) orthe Chinese, living in Heilongjiang and Hainan and the Diasporasin America and Europe. Even if we might find commontraits and commoncultural standards,we certainlyIntercultural Learning- A Must for Chinese and European Managersfind even moreexceptions anddifferences amongthem.If we as individualsare openby Manfred Niedermeyerto communicateand act across cultures,the above-described information about “how cultures are”becomes less important as something new comes into existence,a “third space” and a culture that we might call the inter-culture.In situations in which we interact across cultural differences,we do not behave in the same way as we would do in our owncultural context, but change and adjust our behaviour to makecommunication and interaction with our partners possible.Conventions, habits and communicative styles in this sphere ofinter-culture are something new, which we cannot anticipate;they are not predetermined but generated during the process ofinteraction. In order to smoothen and facilitate this process of6

METP’s trademark intercultural training for the programme’sthird intake, METP 3, kicked off on 20 October 2008. Followingthe formal opening and first theory sessions in Beijing, the88 Euro-pean and Chinese participants left the capital for atwo-day outdoor training in Huanghuashan, at the foot of the Great Wall,an impressive natural environment. The activities during the outdoortraining were carefully designed to offer plenty of opportunities for Chineseand European par-ticipants to interact and learn about each other’scultural backgrounds and behaviours.The outdoor training was followed by the business simulation,“InterAct”, specially tailored to fit this group of participants and nowexpanded to include new modules and learning content by Dr. ManfredNiedermeyer of University of Jena in Germany and Jo Fleischle,METP’s human resources development expert (see the article on facingpage). During InterAct, participants also met Max Quillen of the EUChamber of Commerce in Beijing, who provided practical business informationand an introduction to the chamber, its functions and policies.A ‘treasure hunt’ in Beijing formed the third module of theintercultural training and offered participants the opportunity to discoverdifferent areas of the city and to meet Chinese and European representativesof companies and institutions based there. Presentations by thepartici-pants during the wrap-up session left the impression of Beijingas a vibrant international city and revealed the cultural and economicinterrelations between China’s capital and the West.Module four, with three days at the China Europe InternationalBusiness School (CEIBS), put participants into yet another unique learningenvironment; this time in Shanghai. A curriculum designed by Prof.Henri-Claude de Bettignies from CEIBS and Jo Fleischle combined casestudies of business and culture in China and Europe with lively classesand interactive teaching styles.Back in Beijing at the end of two very intensive weeks, JacquesMéon and Dr. Michael Mechthold-Jin expertly guided an in-depthwrap-up of the intercultural training which placed the different modulesand experiences into one overarching concept for all participantsto appreciate. The very good feedback from participants has encouragedMETP to further develop this unique start for the training forfuture intakes.communication and interaction in theinter-culture, a change in mindset of theactors and personal skills are indispensable.This is when the second componentof intercultural learning cuts in: thedimension of skills during interculturallearning should provide the participantswith process competence in the interculture,where actors learn to focus onthe process of communication acrosscultures by themselves and from eachother and successfully develop communicationand management strategies forintercultural communication in order tohandle misunderstandings and conflicts.The set of skills to be trained includesan effective mix of communication strategies in particular to beused during trans-national teamwork as well as negotiating andpresentation-techniques for successful intercultural businesscommunication.Intercultural learning is by its nature a process in which theparticipants are actively involved in learning situations that areclose to their business realities. The METP intercultural trainingfollows exactly this approach by making use of the set-up of theprogramme, having Chinese and European managers in a jointtraining at the same time. Thereby, participants learn from eachother in different intercultural contexts by interaction, they learnhow to negotiate during the training with colleagues from theother cultures, while being guided by experienced interculturaltrainers. Lectures during plenary sessions offer the possibilityto contemplate and discuss learning situations the participantswent through. Additional theoretical input during wrap-ups oncultural standards contributes to the understanding of culturesto cognitively deal with cultural differences in order to betterperform in diverse cultural contexts and situations.Dr. Manfred Niedermeyer teaches at University of Jena inGermany and is managing director of the firm TrainingCompany.7

The METPThe intercultural training has been described as an outstandingexperience by all Chinese and European METP participantssince the first intake. The main reason for the recognition lies inMETP’s approach in bringing Chinese and European managers togetherin a shared environment and offering so many opportunities to learnfrom each other. The core concept of learning from each other by interactionin various situations rather than classroom teaching, combinedwith practical experience in different locations throughout China, iswhat makes the METP’s intercultural training unique.For the third intake, the larger group size required a change inthe curriculum without giving up the core concept of the interculturaltraining. METP therefore opted to integrate a module jointly designedand developed with the China Europe International Business School(CEIBS) in Shanghai. Together with CEIBS, already established as oneof the foremost business schools in Asia, METP has been able to ensurethe continued success of its intercultural training.The challenge to create a new module at CEIBS that would fit intothe overall setup and continue to reflect the METP programme “style”was taken up by Prof. Henri-Claude de Bettignies and Jo Fleischle.They developed a module that could be linked to the already existing8

3 Intercultural Training at CEIBSmodules, generating additional theoretical input for the participantsand offering new separate and joint elements for Chineseand European METP participants. For the Chinese participantsthe module in CEIBS also served as preparation for their trainingat business schools in Europe, whereas the training forEuropean participants was designed as a first introduction to theChinese business environment, on which they have since beenable to build during their study tours, lectures and companyvisits of the METP 3 Business Programme.The faculty for this module was made up of six Europeanand Chinese members, all distinguished experts in their fieldsof research and teaching. European and Chinese participantsworked together in a very beneficial learning environment acrossvarious fields of culture and management, including managementpractices and even differences in respective accounting standards.In joint and separate classes the METP 3 participants familiarisedthemselves with the challenges of doing business in Europe andChina, gained an overview of both the Chinese and Europeaneconomic situations and explored current issues such as goodgovernance and transparency.Case studies on globalisationand internationalisation and theirimpact on Chinese and Europeanenterprises, on human resourcesmanagement, company organisationand management systems, developedan awareness amongst theparticipants of the importance ofculture as a relevant factor for doingbusiness in China and Europe.Training methods were very interactive;Q&A sessions, role plays andsimulations contributed to a verystimulating learning experience.Finally, a round table discussionwith European and Chinese CEOsconcluded the training at CEIBS.Overall, the training module atCEIBS was an exciting experiencefor all 88 participants, fitting seamlesslyinto the general design ofMETP’s intercultural training.9

First EU-ChinaNetworking Daybrings together 150 ProfessionalsOn 31 October 2008 a unique networking day at the RenaissanceHotel in Beijing brought together 150 participants from METP1, 2, and 3. This date was particularly chosen to take advantageof the METP 2 gala dinner and graduation ceremony takingplace that night.One of the main aims for this networking day was to bring together,at the earliest possible stage, all of the 88 new METP 3 participants withthose already involved in the programme. It also offered an opportunityfor participants of METP 1 and 2 to meet up again, as well as allowingthe new entrants more opportunities to draw on the experiences of theMETP alumni organisation in China.It is the nature of METP that its programme operates on an internationalsplit, with Chinese managers training in Europe and Europeanstraining in China. Therefore it was a further aim of the networkingday to support METP 3 participants by offering opportunities to meetin separate Q&A sessions with their respective Chinese or EuropeanMETP 1 and 2 alumni. Following their joint intercultural training, theEuropean and Chinese managers from METP 1 and METP 2 had followedseparate developmental routes so of course the networking daybecame a chance for updating and exchange of experiences between thenationalities.By all accounts the EU-CHINA Networking Day exceededexpectations!Following welcome remarks to a packed conference room fromRudie Filon, First Secretary for Development and Cooperation at theEuropean Commission in Beijing and Stefan Hell, METP Team Leader,there was a brief introduction to the EU-China Managers Association(EUCMA) with a Q&A session afterwards. It was agreed that the growingalumni association should be moulded into a form to fit the needsof members and there was encouragement for some activities to be heldoutside of Beijing with support for further development of the website.Working groups later examined philosophy and future strategy forthe association, communications, website development, activities andcharity events; these workshop discussions often spilled over into a deliciousand lively lunch! With the afternoon largely spent by the Chineseand European METP 3 participants in Q&A sessions with their respectiveChinese and European alumni groups of METP 1 and 2, the dynamic ‘cando’ feeling generated on the day continued through to the closing remarks.Throughout the proceedings many present expressed their positiveresponse to the event; business cards flew in all directions with promisesto meet - or at least to keep in touch. The camaraderie of the participantsand the delighted smiles of former classmates/colleagues reunitedmaintained the upbeat mood as participants worked hard trying tobalance possible new commitments to the alumni association with theircontinued training and existing workloads. As one participant put it “ ifjust 40% of all the goodwill and promise here holds, then we will have avibrant and thriving alumni association that will work to support us andfor us all to be proud of”.10

METP hosts secondGala Dinnerand METP 2 Graduation CeremonyThe METP Gala Dinner, in celebration of the graduationof participants of METP 2 and the formal openingof METP 3, was held on 31 October 2008 at the SofitelHotel, Beijing. This was the second gala dinner hosted byMETP and around 250 Chinese and European guests gatheredfor the celebrations.The evening waspresided over, on bahlfof the European side,by H.E. Dr. DaliaGrybauskaitė, EuropeanCommissioner forFinancial Programming& Budget who gavethe keynote addressexpressing her supportfor METP and encouragingparticipants touse the help they havereceived so far and allthey were to be givenin the future to their best, also to their families best and totheir countries best advantage.Representing the Chinese side of METP, the event waspresided over by H.E. Mr. Yu Ping, Vice Chairman of theChina Council for the Promotion of International Trade,who addressed guests on the value of METP and the importantrole it is able to play in the development of EU-Chinatrade and co-operation. Mr Yu also thanked all the staffinvolved in METP and gave his personal encouragement toparticipants to make the most of the opportunities offeredby METP.Introducing theawards ceremonyMr. Xu Liang andDr. Stefan Hell welcomedthe chance tocongratulate the 68METP 2 Graduates.They gave a jointupdate on the METPnoting “the diversityof the participantsis united by openmindednessand ashared awarenessof the importanceof internationalco-operation, business and trade”. They encouraged participantsto discuss their progress, exchange ideas and to keepmaking contacts for networking.The diplomas were then presented to the delightedMETP 2 graduates, many of whom could not conceal theirpride nor resist that extra bow. METP 1 participants looked11

on smiling, no doubt remembering their own graduationceremony. For the new entrant METP 3 participants the feelingswere naturally rather mixed, with some eagerly lookingforward to their own future graduation and some anxiouslywondering if they will be able to make the grade. For theanxious amongst them there could have been no better encouragementthan the genuine warmth and friendship displayed inthe Grand Ballroom that night; this mood was well capturedon the photos assembled on the following pages of this editionof Connect.There was much praise for METP amongst all the threeintakes; obviously the most talked about being the advantagesbrought to doing business. On the night some participantswere even spotted networking with representatives of otherEuropean Commission-funded projects in China, whilst otherswere introducing themselves to guest academics and journalists.A partner of one of the graduates spoke of the friendsthey had both made through METP and the lasting impact theyhoped the programme would have on their lives. One participantwas so eager to sing the praises of METP that he offeredto take part in any PR film, anytime anywhere, even to tell thejokes - there were plenty of laughs for this suggestion!After a wonderful buffet dinner and as the evening drew to aclose, those who attended no doubt considered the bright futuresahead for the METP graduates. And for some the future startedwith dancing the night away…….12

I was delighted to be able to participate in the EU-China Managers Exchange and Training ProgrammeGala Dinner and to meet both current and futuregraduates of the programme. I am convinced that intoday's fast changing world the METP has a vital roleto play in helping to foster better understanding amongmanagers about the European Union’s and China’scultural and business environment.Dr. Dalia GrybauskaitėMember of the European Commission responsiblefor Financial Programming andBudget13

981 23 45 6 73536 37393840959491 9293969799100101102103 104 105106149148150147151 152153 15411810943414244108107156 15715513 14124845471815 16 1754 56 58505552 53574649 51113109 110 111112114160158 159161162 163164186 187 188189 190191192193 194 195 196 1971981992001 Jürgen Ritter EU Project2 Markus Lundgren EU Embassy3 Lin Chenlei 林 晨 雷 METP 24 Domenico Luzzi METP 25 Livio Mazzuoccolo METP 36 Malin Ivarsson METP 27 Li Guang 李 广 METP 28 Wife of Li Guang9 Robinson Steinke METP 310 Partner of Harold Broese11 Harold Broese Van Groenou METP 212 Nuria Celorio METP 113 Luis Martin-Domingo METP 114 Guo Wei 郭 巍 METP 315 Serafeim Felekis METP 316 Francis Du Bois De Vroylande METP 317 Matthew Rose METP 118 Tristan Edmondson METP 319 Li Xingwen 李 行 温 METP 220 Wang Aijun 王 爱 军 METP 221 Jin Mingxue 金 铭 学 METP 222 Chen Jiang 陈 江 METP 323 Evelin Petkov METP 224 Lin Ying 林 鹰 METP 325 Li Ming 李 明 METP 226 Wang Xiaoqing 王 小 青 METP 327 Zhang Yingzheng 张 映 铮 METP 328 Iakovos Fostiropoulos METP 329 Liu Bin 刘 斌 METP 230 Bernadett Bognár METP 331 Vivian Luo 罗 晓 铭 METP Team32 Christina Liu 刘 冠 卿 METP Team33 Lexie Cheng 程 淑 媛 METP Team34 Zhu Qiulan 朱 秋 兰 UIBE35 Gvidas Kerusauskas EU Embassy36 Chiristina Schoesser EU Embassy38 Beatrice Tschirret METP 239 Irmgard Maria Peterek METP 240 Peter Backé METP 241 Marcus Lamer METP 342 Yuan Yongjun 袁 拥 军 METP 243 Han Qingyu 韩 晴 宇 METP 344 Wang Liyan 王 力 燕 METP 245 Sophie La METP 346 Arturas Astrauskas METP 247 Cheng Li 程 莉 METP 248 Jose Manue Alcazar METP 149 Gu Guiqiu 顾 桂 秋 METP 250 Oliver Prüfer METP 251 Zhu Junhong 朱 俊 红 METP 252 Martha Ferro METP 253 Kalle Salminen METP 254 Ingo Schmidt METP 355 Patrick Devaney METP 256 He Bin 何 彬 METP 257 Celine Jannot METP 358 Liu Wenbo 刘 文 波 METP 259 Song Zhigang 宋 志 刚 METP 360 Li Chen 李 晨 METP 261 Hei Liang 黑 亮 METP 262 Lv Ruixin 吕 瑞 新 METP 263 Xu Tian 徐 天 METP 264 Li Zhanmeng 李 占 猛 METP 265 Sun Shengwang 孙 胜 旺 METP 266 Shang Liang 商 亮 METP 267 Li Wei 李 伟 METP 368 Lin Hai 林 海 METP 369 Holger Jähn METP 370 Rui Liping 芮 立 平 METP 371 Susanna Heikkinen METP 372 Adrian Hristov METP 373 Marielle Lagers METP 374 Miguel Angel Campos Dies METP 375 Mira Atanasova Lioleva METP 376 Christine Carver METP 377 Quan Xinying 权 新 影 METP 378 Elena Ananieva METP 379 Alejandra Martín Tremoleda METP 380 Mirjana Mise Srajlehner METP 281 Alessandro Trobia METP 282 Chen Liqun 陈 立 群 METP 383 Partner of Joseph Brant85 Joseph Brant METP 286 Sun Lidong 孙 立 东 CCPIT87 Yang Liu 杨 柳 METP 288 Sally Sheng 盛 莉 METP Team90 Rachel Zhao 赵 谦 METP Team91 Liu Ping 刘 萍 METP 392 Hanna Hermlin93 Guo Yingli 郭 英 莉 METP 394 Wang Qiang 王 强 METP 295 Husband of Beatrice Tschirret96 Alin Kalo METP 297 Xia Yan 夏 焱 UIBE98 Steve Barker EU Project99 Chen Xin 陈 欣 METP 3100 Jan Barker101 Chen Min 陈 敏 METP 2102 Li Jianqing 李 剑 青 METP 2103 Yang Yuxia 杨 玉 霞 METP 2104 Ma Qing 马 青105 Guo Yudong 郭 玉 东 METP 3106 Frédéric Poncin METP 3107 Juan Serrano Casamitjana METP 2

19202721 22 23 24 25 2660 62 64 6570 72 746761695963 66 6873 7571116 118 120 122 124 126 128115119 121117123 125129127767713013128 29 30828078 7981134135132133 1363132333484 86888589 908387137 139141143 145138140 142 144 146165 166 167 168 169 170173 175171 172174176201 202206203 204 207205208 209177178 179 180 181210 211 212182213183185214184215108 Kim Hunter Gordon METP 3109 Wife of Arturas Astrauskas110 Wu Guohua 吴 国 华 METP 2111 Zeng Su 曾 METP 3112 Giacomo Bove METP 1113 Alessandro Celestino METP 1114 Neftalí Bernabé Muňoz METP 1115 Yin Dong 尹 东 METP 3116 Li Xuemei 李 雪 梅 METP 3117 Zhang Xiutuan 张 秀 团 METP 3118 Zeng Gang 曾 钢 METP 1119 Unique Urios METP 1120 Zhang Jin 张 锦 METP 2121 Teppo Helles METP 3122 Lin Jun 林 军 METP 1123 Zhang Fengwu 张 凤 武 METP 3124 Han Wei 韩 伟 METP 3125 Zhou Zhiping 周 志 平 METP 3126 Hendrik Bolmeijer METP 3127 Karl Karlsson METP 1128 Fang Changbin 方 长 斌 METP 3129 Zhang Bo 张 波 METP 3130 Li Zhi 李 植 METP 3131 Li Dongjiu 李 东 久 METP 3132 Wang Xiaohong 王 晓 红 METP 2133 Vicente Baena METP 3134 Philippe Comolet-Tirman METP 3135 Xiao Lei 肖 蕾 METP 2136 Yin Jianfeng 殷 建 锋 METP 3137 Asia Ruan 阮 亚 洲 METP Team138 Huang Jun 黄 骏 METP 2139 Grace Huang 黄 欣 UIBE140 Yu Kaikuo 余 开 阔 METP 3141 Shi Lingfei 石 令 霏 UIBE142 Liu Chengdong 刘 成 栋 METP 3143 Li Lijuan 李 利 娟 METP 2144 Milan Polasek METP 3145 Lu Jie 芦 洁 METP 2146 Sun Yang 孙 洋 METP 3147 Zhang Tiantian 张 田 甜 METP 3148 Susana Braz METP 2149 Zhang Minghua 张 明 华 METP 3150 Wang Fang 王 芳 METP 3151 Huang Yi 黄 怡 METP 3152 Anne Hermlin METP 3153 Wang Miao 王 描 METP 2154 Liu Sen 刘 森 METP 3155 Liu Yunqing 刘 云 清 METP 3156 Tatjana Li METP 2157 Dorota Niemcewicz METP 2158 He Wenli 何 文 丽 METP 3159 Zhu Weiping 朱 未 萍 METP 3160 Arnaud Collery METP 2161 Xie Jing 谢 静 METP 2162 Chen Ping 陈 萍 METP 3163 Sandro Nigris METP 1164 Ji Hongyan 纪 鸿 雁 METP 3165 Han Xuemei 韩 雪 梅 METP 3166 Lu Aihua 鲁 爱 华 METP 3167 Sun Ruijing 孙 瑞 静 METP 3168 Yang Qian 杨 茜 METP 3169 Li Ying 李 影 METP 3170 Wang Peng 王 鹏 METP 3171 Tang Zhengying 唐 正 英 METP 3172 Iratxe Madariaga METP 3173 Wang Ru 王 如 METP 3174 Duan Lifeng 段 利 锋 METP 1175 Ma Ying 马 莹 METP 1176 Li Xiaoli 李 晓 李 METP 2177 Chen Yan 陈 燕 METP 3178 Cheng Ting 程 婷 METP 3179 Zhao Xiuwei 赵 秀 薇 METP 3180 Shi Jia 石 嘉 METP 3181 Shi Ying 施 莹 METP 3182 Xu Li 许 莉 METP 3183 Shen Liping 沈 利 平 METP 3184 Geng Qingxia 耿 庆 霞 METP 3185 Deng Weihua 邓 卫 华 METP 3186 Sylvia Szabo METP 2187 Lin Hongxiang 林 鸿 翔 METP 3188 Zhang Huaping 张 铧 萍 METP 2189 Olmo Gálvez Martínez METP 2190 Leila Fernandez Stanbridge EC Delegation191 Clemens Smolders EU Project192 Michael Mechthold-Jin METP Team193 Jacques Méon METP Team194 Luigi Parlatore ESCP-EAP195 Juliette des Garets ESCP-EAP196 Rudie Filon EC Delegation197 Wang Fuming 王 福 明 UIBE198 Cristina Querol Carceller EC Delegation199 Chen Ruhua 陈 汝 华 MOFCOM200 Steven Quest European Commission201 Yu Ping 于 平 CCPIT202 Dalia Grybauskaité European Commissioner203 Michael Pulch EC Delegation204 Chen Zhengrong 陈 正 荣 CCPIT205 Damiel Daco EC Delegation206 Xu Liang 徐 梁 CCPIT207 Nicholas Costello EC Delegation208 Alexandra Lehmann EC Delegation209 Stefan Hell METP Team210 Charles Dubay EC Delegation211 Jo Fleischle METP Team212 Thomas Hart EU Project213 Liao Chenghong 廖 成 红 UIBE214 Ma Wen 马 文 EU Project215 Alan Sher 佘 昊 驰 METP Team

How can METP contribute to China-EUeconomic and trade relations?METP plays an important role in promotingtrade and business relations between EU andChina. By building a pool of managers who arefamiliar with the business practice and languageof the other side, METP helps European andChinese companies to come to terms with somespecific issues and to bring together the interestsof EU and Chinese business communities. Basedon feedback from the trainees, we know theyare very satisfied with what they learned in theMETP training. In all senses, I think METP is avery necessary initiative in promoting sustainableeconomic and trade relationships between EU andChina."METP is a very good Initiative withResults and very good future PerspecConnect met with Yu Ping, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of Internathe agency in charge of implementing METP on behalf of the European Commission and theCommerce since 2006.16

Can you tell us how CCPIT is promoting METP amongits member companies?CCPIT has a large network with 50 provincialsub-councils, more than 600 national sub-councilsand 22 industrial sub-councils with some 70,000member companies all over China in virtually allindustrial sectors. We send out official letters to thosesub-councils, who, in turn, help to promote METPamong their member companies. With the help of localCCPIT structures we also organise road shows for localcompanies, which are helpful for us to promote METPdirectly among managers. Many Chinese applicants ofMETP 1, 2 and 3 learned of the programme through theCCPIT network. Our national network proved to be anefficient and effective tool to disseminate informationon METP all over China.In addition, CCPIT has 16 overseas representativeoffices around the world, which keep close contactswith business organisations as well as local companies.We send out METP materials to our offices in theEU and they help to promote METP among Europeanmanagers through their network, which has also provento be quite effective. CCPIT is the most important andlargest institution for the promotion of foreign tradein China and, as the executing agency of METP; wewill surely continue to make full use of our network topromote METP.Are there particular industrial sectors that, in your view,METP should be targeting?I support the approach that METP is an allencompassingprogramme which doesn't aim at aparticular sector or industry but is open for managers fromwhatever industries or sectors, as long as they are makingvery goodtives!"tional Trade (CCPIT),Chinese Ministry ofefforts to enhance the economic cooperation between Chinaand the EU. METP now has attracted managers from sectorssuch as advertising, software development, automobilemanufacture, textile, energy, food, tourism, pharmaceutical,machinery, etc. during the first 3 intakes. Having said this,I personally believe that in the face of the current worldeconomic and financial crisis, METP should attract moremanagers from areas where the EU andChina have respective advantages, such as research anddevelopment, high-tech industries, energy and environmentalprotection.METP, with the assistance of local CCPIT offices, istrying to promote its programme particularly in westernChina and among ethnic minorities. However, often applicantswith this background fail because they lack the necessaryEnglish language skills. Do you have any recommendationhow to remedy this?CCPIT also organises a number of trade promotionevents in western China outside of the METPframework. We also feel that companies in westernChina need managers who can communicate with foreigncompanies. The implementation of METP helps to raisethe awareness of such demand. Other the other hand, sincewestern China covers a large geographic area with limitedinformation channels; we encourage METP to try harder tofind suitable candidates from western China. We do see someproblems with the English language skills of managers fromthose areas, so we have put special emphasis on this pointduring our promotional activities. Managers from those areasare paying more attention to improve their language skills,and some even take language training.Do you think it would be useful for a programme likeMETP to continue beyond 2010 or, in other words, doyou see a continuing demand for this kind of training forChinese managers?METP is a very good initiative with very goodresults and very good futureperspectives! Unlike otherprojects, which focus onparticular sectors or industries,METP is a crosssectorproject and generatesmuch more far-reachingresults; it therefore hasa greater impact on theeconomic and businessrelations between Chinaand the EU. There are stilla great many opportunitieswaiting to be seized by Europeanand Chinese managers and entrepreneurs in theEU and China, and these people require the assistancethat METP can provide.17

METP Training of Chinese Managers:On 5 January 2009 the third group of Chinese METP participantswill embark on their seven-week management training in theEuropean Union. In the first leg the 60 managers will be hostedby the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) BusinessSchool for two weeks, during which the focus will be on managementof individuals, groups, and organisations. Policy perspectives will beexamined grounded in the notion of human capital advantage.The group will then move to Paris, where they will be hosted for twoweeks by ESCP-EAP School of Management, the renowned businessschool of the Paris Chamber of Commerce. Here, participants will studythe essentials and the logic of both financial and management accountingin the international accounting standard environment (IFRS). The secondweek in Paris focuses on the needs of managers in various sectors andalso touches on project management, mixing inputs from theory andpractical experience.The Italian city of Turin, where another of ESCP-EAP's fiveEuropean campuses is situated, is the group's next stop. The week inInterview with Prof. Catherine DehonProfessor of Statistics of ESCP-EAP, ParisWhat do you teach in the METP?Statistics! And as you know statistics is the science ofinformation able to summarise and analyse data in orderto improve the decision process. Everybody thinks thatthey are “statisticians” because they can "read" numbers;however, statistics requires other abilities to interpret theresults correctly.What is the objective of your session?The goal of these sessions in statistics is to providestudents who specialize in finance, marketing, economics,and other fields of business with the tools for understandingany statistical report. It is essential that the students notonly learn the basic concepts of descriptive and inferentialstatistics, but also that they reach a certain level of intuition.The course is known to be quite difficult?I realise that it is not easy for students. Indeedyou have to find an intermediate position betweentwo extremes: teaching only “recipes”, can be aproblematic shortcut and is often found in Americantextbooks, or being rigorous and extensive, but withthe drawback that your explanations are essentiallyabstract. And all in the space of just two days; it reallyis a challenge.What would be your personal recommendationto the next participants?I have just finished writing a book on statisticsoffering intuitive explanations within a rigoroussetting. Unfortunately this book is in French. But somepreparatory reading is necessary so that the studentsarrive already grasping certain basic concepts suchas the mean, the median, and also with the Englishnotation.18

A truly European CombinationTurin is devoted to strategy and further aspects ofproject management. Participants are introducedto models of strategic analysis so as to allow abetter understanding of competitiveness, resourceallocation, and internationalisation.The final two weeks of METP training takesplace at Solvay Business School of UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles (ULB) in the Belgian capital.Participants refine their abilities in finance andinvestment; theoretical concepts are explainedand then applied practically in case studies. Thegroup's electives at Solvay Business School includeEU capital markets, "Euromarketing", sustainabledevelopment and risk management.Interview with Prof. Léon LaulusaProfessor of Finance at ESCP-EAP, ParisCan you describe your role as academic managerof the METP?In consultation with the project manager, my role is topropose the course topics and specific subjects and findsuitable professors according to METP requirements. It isalso my role to ensure that the Chinese participants acquirean understanding of the practical management conceptspromoted in our courses and that they work together andexchange ideas and work-based experiences when analysingcases studies. In addition to this it is my responsibility tomake sure that they are interested in the topics proposed,and to take into account their suggestions for possibleimprovements that could be made for future courses.What do you consider to be the key benefits of thetraining?There are several, and I can see three key benefits at least:Firstly, this training allows Chinese managers to enlarge theirglobal vision and better understand the European businessculture and environment thanks to management courses,visits and internships. Secondly, it creates excellent guanxi(network) with all participants and they also benefit fromMETP network. Thirdly, this experience also constitutes apersonal adventure for each participant and no doubt willprove very useful for their future professional experience.Could you tell us more about the individual(corporate) projects of the participants?After their training, most of theparticipants would like to work and developbusiness with Europe. Some want to exportChinese products to Europe, for example, oneparticipant from Guizhou plans to showcaselocal products at a French exhibition. Thereare some participants who want to encourage Europeanfirms to invest or to do joint ventures with local companiesin China, such as the business development manager fromHarbin who is looking for investors for her family business.Sometimes participants have a very clear idea of thepossibilities of cooperation with Europe before attendingMETP.As an example, one Chinese manager had alreadyresearched the opportunities to set up business in Germanybefore coming to Europe. Thanks to METP, his project wasbetter understood. There are also participants who alreadywork within the European market and their METP experiencewill help them to increase their business opportunities.What would you recommend to the future Chinesemanagers enrolled in the METP?Just to pack their luggage well because they havemany countries to visit (smiling…) and not to take somuch because they will come back with a lot of things,not just their own European experiences but also manysouvenirs!19

The Business Programmefor European ParticipantsDuring the METP 2 Business Programme- a tailor-made arrangement of lectures,company visits and study tours – almost40 events were organised in China, which alsoincluded round tables and forums, businessbreakfasts and luncheons, and activitiesorganised together with the European UnionChamber of Commerce in Beijing, businessschools and universities. In addition, thedifferent events linked the METP participantsto other leading institutions and companiescreating additional visibility for METPwithin the Chinese and European businesscommunities in various parts of China.The lectures organised for METP 2covered a wide range of economic, social,cultural and political topics, ranging fromenvironmental protection to news coverage inChinese media, from agriculture to IT. Amongthese, participants particularly appreciatedthe presentations by Prof. Henri-Claude deBettignies of CEIBS and INSEAD on corporatesocial responsibility and Dr. Frank Hesske onthe early years of EU-China relations.At the monthly round tables, which tookplace at the EC Delegation in Beijing, and atdifferent luncheon talks, respected speakersgave presentations on different aspects ofEU-China relations, concentrating on thoseof greatest concern to the European businesscommunity China d such as China's labourlaw, issues relating to branding in China,intellectual property rights and e-commerce. Anevent jointly organised with the Cheung KungBusiness School in Beijing offered networkingpossibilities and an interesting plenarydiscussion with young CEOs on the factorsthat determine business success or failure forforeign enterprises in China.Study tours in June and December 2008took the METP 2 group to the capital of JilinDate Activity Topic or Theme1 23 April 2008 Workshop Planning on METP 2 Lectures and Visits2 13 May 2008 Roundtable EU-China Relations: Present, Past, Future3 15 May 2008 Lecture China Macroeconomic Current Situation and Future Development4 22 May 2008 Business Breakfast Corporate Compliance5 27 May 2008 Lecture China’s Political System – Changes and new developments6 28 May 2008 Business Breakfast The Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in China7 30 May 2008 Institutional Visit Visiting the SME Help Desk8 3 June 2008 Roundtable Beijing 2008 Olympics: The Last Miles are the Hardest9 12 June 2008 Lecture CIIC – Chinese Intellect Company: How to Contract Chinese Local Staff10 19 June 2008 Lecture "China – red and yellow": China's Modern History (1911-1949)11 25 June 2008 Lecture The recent economic development in the north-east of China12 26 June 2008 Company Visit Changchun Automobile Industrial Park13 26 June 2008 Culture Visit The last emperor’s palace14 27 June 2008 Company Visit China FAW Group15 27 June 2008 Culture Visit Changchun Film Park16 28 June 2008 Lecture METP Human Resources Forum17 1 July 2008 Roundtable CCPIT – The Chinese Chamber of Commerce18 2 July 2008 Lecture Chinese Religions and their Impact on Economic Life19 16 July 2008 Business Breakfast The Reform of the Chinese Social Security System20 18 July 2008 LectureThe introduction of the Yanjiao economic and technologicaldevelopment zone21 18 July 2008 Company Visit Yangguang Silicon Valley electronic Technology Co.,Ltd22 18 July 2008 Company Visit Mondo Floorings (China) Co.,Ltd23 18 July 2008 Company Visit Oriental Hawaii24 24 July 2008 Lecture Europe – China: The First 20 Years, 1973-199325 5 August 2008 Lecture CCPIT is Ready to Help You!26 26 August 2008 Lecture Media: News coverage about the Chinese Economy27 28 August 2008 LectureBuilding the "Harmonious Society", Implementing "Corporate SocialResponsibility (CSR)": Are Government and Business Leaderson the Same Page?28 02 September 2008 Roundtable EU-China Trade and Investment Relations29 04 September 2008 Lecture Business Ethics: A Chinese Perspective30 08 September 2008 Institutional Visit Smart Start-Ups: stories from the frontline of business31 11 September 2008 Lecture E-Commerce in China32 17 September 2008 LectureChina's way to modernity. From Foundation of the PRC (1949) to Reform aOpening (1978)33 18 September 2008 Business Breakfast The Chinese Anti-Monopoly Law34 25 September 2008 Lecture Environmental Protection in China35 7 October 2008 Lecture Beijing Olympics – Chinese Experiences36 13-15 October 2008 Study tour Study Tour to Xi'an37 22-24 October 2008 Forum Asia-Europe Business Forum20

in METP 2Speaker(s) or Company(ies)LocationJo FLEISCHLERudie FILONLI WeiyongKevin CHAN; Mireille KOENIG;Julia KAHLENBERGXIN ChuanhaiBenoit MISONNE; Andreas OBSTCamilla UNDERHILLGilbert Van KERCKHOVEDavid DINGJo FLEISCHLELI GuohuaDU BaobiYU guilanBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingChangchunChangchunChangchunJIANG FengChangchunSUN ChaoSUN NaijiLIN ShunjieGünter WAGNERJean-Charles DEHAYEChangchunChangchunBeijingBeijingBeijingLIU WeiHebeiZHENG WenZHANG WeiWANG JingFrank HESSKEXU LiangLI ManweiHebeiHebeiHebeiBeijingBeijingBeijingHenri-Claude de BETTIGNIESBeijingndOlivier MICOLYANG HengdaAlumni of Cheung Kong GSBThomas HARTJo FLEISCHLEMartyn HUCKERBJohn RUSSELLOBERHEITMANNWANG LidongBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingBeijingXi’anBeijingProvince, Changchun and to Haikou on HainanIsland. The study tours introduced the groupto the north-eastern and southern businessregions and revealed the differences in economicdevelopment and business cultures. Each of thestudy tours lasted two and a half days, and bothwere highly appreciated by the participants aswell as the companies and institutions visited.CCPIT from Jilin and Hainan warmly welcomedour group and offered interesting overviews oftheir respective provinces, detailing the latestregional economic developments and industrialpolicies. Among the companies visited were suchwell-known firms as the automobile manufacturerFAW in Changchun and Hainan Airlines group inHaikou. The possibilities for METP 2 participantsto exchange views with managers of these andother companies deepened their understandingof business practices and regional differences, aswell as offering further interesting networkingpossibilities.21

METP in the Press23METP has received broadattention in the press bothin China and across theEuropean Union. On this page you willfind a small selection of newspaperand magazine articles about METP.We welcome inquiries from mediarepresentatives in China to Ms. RachelZhao (rachel.zhao@metp.net.cn) and inEurope to Ms. Sarah von Hauenschildat (sarah.von-hauenschild@publicisconsultants.de).

Project Management in an International Context:Capacity-buildingfor UIBE and METP Staff organised in BeidaiheMETP's first capacity-building event was held inBeidaihe from 26 to 28 September 2008. Prof.Günter Heiduk and Dr. Michael Mechthold-Jinwere invited to give three days training to the 17 stafffrom UIBE and 5 staff members from METP's BeijingOffice. The training centred on project management,intercultural communication and higher educationtransformation. In order to maximise the impact of thecapacity-building, trainees were divided into two groups.Günter Heiduk, who has 27 years experience inacademic training at several universities and programmes,led the first group. The objective of this group was tointernalise developments in China’s higher educationtransformation and current global trends in this sectorinto day-to-day academic management practice. ProfessorHeiduk gave in-depth presentations on global highereducation trends, and the group analysed key differencesbetween China and Europe’s higher education systems.The group also analysed methods applied in Chineseschool administration in comparison to those applied inEuropean countries. Trainees in this group, who wereall working as administrators in education and training,gained profound knowledge that will enable them toimprove their own job performance.Michael Mechthold-Jin, a veteran expert in China, whohas worked on numerous education initiatives and is currentlybased in Jiangxi Province, led the second group. In this groupthe focus was on the concept and details of project managementand the methodology of Project Cycle Management (PCM). Dr.Mechthold-Jin drew on many examples from his daily workto illustrate specific problems and possible strategies to solvethem. Trainees were impressed by his creative use of visualaids, which greatly facilitated the learning objectives.The training was highly interactive and includedgroup presentations and role-play. The feedback fromtrainees was very positive and follow-up meetings withthe METP Team Leader and HRD expert reinforced thisimpression while further emphasising the link betweenthe learning objectives and the every day work situationsof participants.24

Senior EU Representativesstrongly encourage European Managers to join METPRepresentatives from the European Parliament andthe European Commission have strongly encouragedexecutives from EU countries to gain language andwork experience in China. Speaking at a media briefing inBrussels in November 2008, the Belgian MEP Dirk Sterckx,Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation to China,said: “Whatever the differences between our cultures are, thereis a strong need to build up lasting contacts. If we want to getover the financial crisis, we need to work together. The EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP) isa generous offer – the only thing participants need to sacrifice istheir time, the rest is provided by the programme.”Dirk Meganck, Director for cooperation with Asia andCentral Asia in the EuropeAid Cooperation Office of theEuropean Commission, added: “China remains in a phase ofstrong development. We often observe that the Chinese reallywant to establish relationships for doing business – METP isthe ideal platform for this.”Speakers at the Media Briefing (from left): Dirk Sterckx,Philippe Le Corre, Stefan Hell, Dirk Meganck.The media briefing was organised in Brussels on 13November 2008 by METP and its public relations partner inthe EU, Publicis Consultants. It attracted correspondents fromleading European press and news agencies and during the eventDr. Stefan Hell of METP gave a presentation of the programmeand replied to numerous inquiries.The new METP 3 Sub-siteA CLOSE LOOK AT THE NEW METP 3 SUB-SITEwww.metp.net.cn/metp3/METP AnnouncementsThis section highlights the importantannouncements made by the METPmanagement team.Log-in BoxEvery METP participant has beenassigned an account to view details offellow participants' profiles and to leavemessages on the METP Bulletin Board.METP 3 ActivityCalendarThis calendar highlightsthe dates of METP 3activities. By clicking thegreen-coloured dates,one can directly seethe activities related tothese dates.25Participants ProfilesThe homepage shows a randomlyselected profile of the METP3 participants. One can viewmore profiles by clicking "VIEWALL METP 3 PARTICIPANTSPROFILES".METP 3 WeeklyCalendarActivities in the week arehighlighted here.Newest PostsLatest postingson the METPBulletin Board arehighlighted here.

METP 3 Participantsdiscover Business in YunnanOn 26 November 2008, three weeks after the startof their Business Chinese language training atUIBE, METP 3 participants left Beijing for theirfirst study tour to Kunming, Yunnan Province. Well known totourists as the colourful home to different ethnic minorities,Yunnan province haslong been neglected bythe international businesscommunity. The three-daystudy tour offered insightsinto the impressive economicpotential of Yunnan and itsrapid economic integrationinto the neighbouring regionaleconomies of Vietnam,Myanmar, Laos and evenIndia.Three company visitswere scheduled for the firstday, Taikoo Flowers/Finlays,Huashi Breweries and Nantian Electronics InformationCorporation, covering a wide range of sectors and ownershipforms. At Finlays, general manager Mick Bartlett received theMETP participants, introduced the enterprise and personally ledthe company tour.Huashi Breweries, a former SOE, is now fully ownedby Carlsberg Breweries, Denmark, through its subsidiary inHong Kong. Carlsberg's expansion strategy in the Chinesemarket generated quite some interest among participants, asthe company is buying or investing in many western Chinesebreweries and is already starting to export beer to Myanmar.Nantian Electronics Information started as a traditional ChineseSOE and developed over the years into a leading manufacturerof ATMs and printing machines in close co-operation withOlivetti. The director and president Lei Jian, educated at CEIBSin Shanghai, personally welcomed participants before theyvisited a production line.The chairman and vice chairman of Yunnan CCPIT, LiJiashou and Yang Hui, welcomed the participants at their officesin Kunming and provided an interesting overview of theiractivities and the latest impressive economic developmentsin Yunnan province. CCPITYunnan honoured ourparticipants with a splendidlunch and expressed theirinterest in strengthening theirfuture relationship with theMETP.“Ethnic minorities andlocal sustainable economicdevelopment – the tourismindustry in Yunnan Province”was the topic of the METPForum in Kunming. Prof.Yang Fuquan, a well-knownresearcher in the field of ethnicminorities in Yunnan and of Naxi descent himself, gave aninteresting presentation followed by a lively discussion.While in Kunming, METP 3 participants also met withMETP alumni and all enjoyed a very entertaining eveningcomplete with Yunnan food. METP is very grateful to Tan Yunand Yin Dong, of METP 1 and 3 respectively, for their help inmaking arrangements in Kunming and for taking such good careof theirEuropean colleagues during the visit.26

Science and Technology Fellowship Programme(STFP) China set to start in 2009China dominates international headlines:the sheer size of the country combinedwith its exceptional economic growthand rapid social change is noticed everywhere.In the field of research, China has developedfrom an “also ran” to a top global player. Thedata is impressive, at least in absolute terms,on both the input and the output side. Withregard to overall research anddevelopment spending andthe number of peer-reviewedarticles published, China isnow second only to the UnitedStates.The Science and TechnologyFellowship ProgrammeChina (STFP) is an ambitiousnew EU funded programmewith the focus on making theEuropean Union an increasinglycredible partner inChina’s fast growing researchenvironment. Its overallpurpose is to promote the mobilityof European researcherstowards the Chinese researchand development area andto build a bridge betweenEurope and China over whicha stream of research will flowin both directions. The EUis particularly interested increating stronger ties withChinese research institutionsthrough an exchangeof people and knowledgebenefiting both China and EuropeanMember States in the future. Both sidesexpressed a willingness to continue strengtheningscientific and technological cooperation.Therefore increased mobility of EU researchersto China is the challenge that lies ahead.The STFP may be an answer to thischallenge. It provides outstanding youngEU researchers with the linguistic and crossculturalskills to benefit from practical researchexperience with the best Chinese research andscientific organisations. Participants on thisnew programme will ultimately be able to buildbridges between the EU and China in the area ofscience and technology once they have acquiredunique “insider knowledge” discovering howChinese research worksthrough their participationin research programmes inChinese institutions. At thesame time the presence inChinese research establishmentsof EU scientists witha good level of Chineselanguage skills will enhancethe exposure of the Chineseside to different EU culturesand could have welcome,positive spin-off effectsin important areas such asknowledge of and a sharedunderstanding concerningintellectual property rights.The programme beganin August 2008 and thefirst batch of eager youngresearchers will come toChina at the beginningof April 2009. The initialpart of the programmeconsists of an interculturaltraining module, followedby an intensive Chineselanguage phase. At the endof language training theresearchers should have strong enough Chineselanguage skills, to live and work in a Chineseenvironment for the 18 months of practicalresearch. Though a number of participants willremain in Beijing for the whole programme themajority will work in research institutions allover China.Clemens SmoldersSTFP Lead ExpertFor more informationon the Science andTechnology FellowshipProgramme China(STFP) go to www.euchinastf.eu or call+86 10 84 47 59 46.27