Foreign Secretary David Miliband inserted the final rod in the seed cathedral at the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo today.

The Foreign Secretary looked around the Expo site and met the team responsible for building the Pavilion. He said:

“The UK Pavilion is a remarkable structure and an eye-catching achievement. It is testament to British creativity - in design, in business and science. I am proud and excited that we will bring the best of British investment opportunities and culture to the biggest Expo ever. I am very pleased to see how much excitement the UK programme of events and the Pavilion has caused - it will be a tremendous six months for the UK in China.”

He then made a speech at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies and addressed an academic audience on the rise of the global middle class. This is now the biggest growing economic group in China and this presents significant opportunities for trade and investment.

Anna May Wong - Frosted Yellow Willows, a documentary about the life of this first Chinese American Hollywood star, will be shown at the coming Bradford International Film Festival.

This film is screening as a double bill with Piccadilly starring Anna May Wong.

The writer and director of this documentary, Elaine Mae Woo will join the audiences.

From Bradford International Film Festival:

They called her “The Yellow Wonder”. The daughter of a Chinese laundryman Anna May Wong (1905-61) was a pioneering actress during the embryonic (and deeply racist) years of Hollywood, Despite early success in 1921’s The Toll of the Sea, Wong ricocheted around Hollywood seeking to make a break into movies. Her exotic looks ensured she was never short of work but all too often Wong was relegated to playing servant girls or sundry ethnic support – Indians, Eskimos, Polynesians – whilst white actresses were employed by the studios in key oriental roles. Leading roles were denied her until 1928 when, aged 23, she broke through as Song in the German film of the same name. Over a career spanning 40 years Wong (real name Wong Liu Tsong, or Frosted Yellow Willows) broke down barriers, becoming the first global Chinese/American star. From silents through talkies to TV and beyond, she struggled to be more than just the stereotypical dragon lady of screen villainy.

Print source: Woo Neiman Productions

Mr Van Cuong Truong (MBE) Mr Wing Yip (OBE) from the UK Chinese community are recognised for their contributions to British society in the 2010 Queen’s new years honours

Two ordinary men who have made an exceptional contribution to British society have been rewarded for their vision and hard work by being acknowledged in the 2010 New Year’s Queen’s honours.

Mr Woon Wing Yip, 72, who came to the UK as a 19 year old with only £10 in his pocket – has been made Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the oriental food industry.

Mr Yip commented: “I am obviously delighted to have been nominated but I have no idea who nominated me.”

He added: “My humble beginnings have driven my achievements in business and the contributions I have made to the British Chinese community. My first job, when I came to England, was washing up and making teas and coffees at a restaurant in Kingston, Hull, but I was determined that I wouldn’t be doing that all my life.”

Mr Yip kept that promise to himself and his business empire is worth over

£80 million and includes his famous chain of supermarkets, that has made oriental food and ingredients more readily available in Britain.

Mr Yip, is officially the first Anglo-Chinese tycoon in the UK and has used his status to set up the W Wing Yip and Brothers Charitable Trust – which provides bursaries and scholarship for university students in the UK and in China.

Mr Van Cuong Truong, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for his services to the Indo-Chinese community in South East, London.

He has worked tirelessly as head teacher of Lewisham Indo-Chinese Community School, to make it one of the most successful schools in London.

The School, which has 350 students, enables its students to marry their schooling with learning Mandarin, Chinese history, martial arts and traditional Chinese dance.

Mr Troung, commented: “To be honoured by the Queen is a real honour, and for doing something I really enjoy is a real bounce. I don’t really see it as work. I get so much satisfaction from seeing my students studying in an environment that allows them to learn about their culture whilst helping them to achieve their full potential in the UK.”

Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary and head of the Home Civil Service, said: “The honours system is an important way of recognising the outstanding contributions made by dedicated people from across the country, who have gone the extra mile to make a real difference to lives of people around them.

“These community heroes are ordinary people doing extraordinary things and come from all walks of life. It is important that we reach out to people from all backgrounds to ensure that the most deserving people are recognised.

“If you know of anyone who you believe is worthy of an honour from Her Majesty the Queen I would strongly encourage you to nominate them in the future.”

Anyone can make a nomination and suggest a person, regardless of age or background they feel has made a valuable contribution to their community and wider society.

To make a nomination or to learn more about the process log onto www.direct.gov.uk/honours or ring 0207 276 2777.

“Do social entrepreneurs exist in China? If so, who are they?” The answer to the first question is a resounding YES, and these questions led to the idea to put together this book, the first of its kind to introduce the exciting development of social entrepreneurship in China.

The book features ten stories that cover 13 social entrepreneurs. They came from very different backgrounds: ‘China Rabbit King’, REN Xuping, left school when he was just 14 years old because of poverty; the two young founders of Venture in Development, Marie and Carol, first got to know ‘social entrepreneurism’ at the Kennedy School in Harvard; the founders of Wu Qi Training School, 1kg More and Love Farms were once urban white-collar workers; LV Zhao (founder of NPI) and SHEN Dongshu (CEO of Fu Ping) were very successful businessmen before they decided to devote themselves to the nonprofit world.

For more about the book, table of contents, and how to purchase the book, please visit Global Links Initiative.

Changes to Tier 4 student visa applications from today 3 March 2010 (03/03/2010)

Following the earlier announcement of a new set of measures to tighten the criteria on student Tier 4 visa applications, the following changes come into effect from today 3 March 2010:

* The minimum level of English language course has been raised to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Students will therefore need a higher level of English at a minimum level of B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to come and study an English language course in the UK.  Exceptions apply to Government sponsored students and specific pre-sessional English courses.
* If you are coming to study below degree level (excluding foundation degree students) you will only be able to work 10 hours a week (this has been reduced from 20 hours).
* If you are studying for a course under Tier 4 for less than 6 months, you will no longer be able to bring your dependants.
* Dependants of anyone studying a course lower than degree level (excluding those on foundation degree courses) will no longer be able to work (unless they qualify in their own right under Tier 1 (General) as a highly skilled migrant or as a skilled worker under Tier 2 General, sportsperson or minister of religion).

If you have submitted and paid for your application before 3 March 2010, you will be considered against the rules in force at the time.

Please check the Tier 4 General and Child Student guidance on this website for full details of the changes.

Further changes will be introduced from April 2010.

Piccadilly Revisited is a film, dance, drama and music performance
inspired by the life and loves of Hollywood’s first Chinese film star,
Anna May Wong, and the classic British silent movie Piccadilly (1929) in which she played a starring role.

Wong was a celebrated actress who worked with Dietrich and Olivier,
graced the pages of Vogue, Tatler and Vanity Fair, and the song These
Foolish Things was written for her. Chinatown Arts Space is delighted
to celebrate her achievements in this, her seminal film directed by
E.A. Dupont.

7:45pm, 30-31 March 2010

Linbury Studio Theatre
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden
London WC2E 9DD

Tickets:
£12, £10, standing £5
Concessions including students
and ROH Access Scheme £8
Box Office:
020 7304 4000
www.roh.org.uk

Actress Calita Leong Rainford as Anna May Wong
Dancers Yuyu Rau & Quang Kien Van
Music com posed & performed by Suki Mok & Ruth Chan
Choreography by Sin-Man Yue & Nguyen Ngoc Anh
Short film sequences by Shan Ng & O Zhang
Costumes by Jenny Ng Matthews
Set by Wai Yin Kwok
Lighting by Douglas Kuhrt
Written by Alice Lee & David Tse Ka-Shing
Directed by David Tse Ka-Shing, assisted by Uma Jackson

Download Piccadilly Revisited leaflet

For more information or to join our mailing list, please visit:
www.chinatownartsspace.com

A practitioner of Chinese medicine has pleaded guilty to selling a banned substance to a woman who went on to develop kidney failure and cancer.

Ying “Susan” Wu, 48, of Holland-on-Sea in Essex, has been on trial at the Old Bailey for selling pills containing aristolochic acid to a civil servant.

The judge said he accepted Ms Wu had not meant to harm, and that the case highlighted the need for regulation.

Ms Wu has now been given a conditional discharge.

Read the full story…

From UKBA (full news release here):

Foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come to the UK to study will be required to meet stricter entry criteria, the Home Secretary announced today.

The new regulations will ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK, and that their dependants cannot work here at all.

It will be even harder for bogus students, whose only aim is to work in the UK, to come into the country.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson also confirmed that the government will implement plans to introduce a points test by 2011 for those who wish to earn British citizenship.

The new measures for students include:

* a good standard of English (equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) will be needed to come to the UK and study to improve English language competency further;
* a good standard of English (again equivalent of holding just below a GCSE in a foreign language) will need to be demonstrated in order to study any other course below degree level;
* restricting the lowest-level courses (A levels and equivalent) to only the most trusted institutions;
* halving the amount of time a student studying below first degree level or on a foundation degree course will be able to work, to just 10 hours during term time;
* a ban on bringing in dependants for anyone studying a course for less than six months; and
* a ban on dependants of anyone studying a course lower than foundation or undergraduate degree level from working - they will face removal from the UK if found doing so.

In addition, the new measures will include:

* a ban on foreign students studying below degree level if the course includes a work placement - unless that course is being provided by a university, college or training provider which has the status of ‘highly trusted sponsor’;
* a requirement for students to demonstrate their English language ability by passing an approved secure test - this will apply to all students studying below (foundation) degree level, including those coming to study English language; and
* the introduction of tougher criteria for defining which course providers count as ‘highly trusted sponsors’ of foreign students. We expect that all publicly funded universities and colleges will count as highly trusted, and we will ensure that there is a rapid but rigorous system for ensuring that private training colleges can also gain that status as soon as possible.

Yellow Earth (UK’s leading East Asian theatre company) and ALRA (The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) are working in partnership to offer Yellow Academy 2010, an exciting new scheme to introduce British East Asians aged 16-30 to professional acting and performing. The participants don’t need previous acting training or experiences. FREE actor training activities are held in Belfast, Birmingham, London, and Manchester from February - August 2010.

A man who admitted trying to “sell” his vulnerable sister into a sham marriage as part of a Chinese immigration scam has been jailed.

Michael Wright, 22, from Wiltshire, was sentenced to four years after admitting immigration and perjury offences.

His sister, 24, who has learning difficulties, was put into social services care after the fake wedding at Reading Register Office was raided.

Three Chinese people were also jailed at Reading Crown Court.