A unique series of events called ëTHE CHINA IMPACT: Westminster Hearings on Chinaís Economic Development and the UKí will provide businesses and top level media and China specialists with the opportunity to help formulate government plans which may shape the UKís future relationship with China.
UK business leaders and MPs will become better informed about Chinaís impact on the UK, and meet and collaborate with potential business and government partners.
The hearings are being organised by The Select Committee for Trade and Industry, the All Party Parliamentary Group on China and the University of Westminster.
Ben Chapman MP, Chairman, All Party Parliamentary China Group says: ìChina is upon us. Many British business leaders and Members of Parliament lack a current understanding of China. Britain is in danger of falling behind as global power shifts to the East, unless, that is, we can get to grips with the China phenomenon.
ìUK senior executives are not always dealing with the opportunities and challenges that China brings to their businesses or, indeed, similarly recognising the threats. Members of Parliament need to be more aware of how China is affecting the economic lives and businesses of their constituents. The Westminster Hearings on the UKís response to the China Impact will be the major attempt in this country to re-dress the UKís knowledge gap on China and will create a better understanding of the issues between parliamentarians and business leaders.î
Professor Hugo de Burgh, director of the University of Westminsterís China Media Centre, facilitating the Westminster Hearings warns: ëIn 2006 global power dynamics shifted. In the space of a year China went from being too small to worry about to being too big to ignore. If we do not understand Chinaís advance in education and science UK Plc could lose its leading edge. We need to act now to avoid the potential problems and maximise on the multi billion pound opportunities.î
Five Hearings will be held in the British Houses of Parliament from March to June 2007. They will bring together leading figures from UK and Chinese government, decision-makers in business and media and China specialists:
7th March 2007 - China Goes Global
21st March 2007 - China Power
25th April 2007 - Urbanisation, Consumption Harmony
23rd May 2007 - Corporate Governance, Corporate Context
20th June 2007 - Innovation, Education, Research and Development
Each Hearing will have a plenary and four workshops defining proposals on shaping the UK response to the rapid rise of China, to be presented to the government for response. The workshops will be chaired by leading journalists, including Jon Snow and Edward Stourton, as well as concerned politicians such as Nigel Griffiths MP and David Willetts MP; economists such as Martin Wolf and Will Hutton and business leaders such as Martin Broughton and Mike Lowe. For a full list of participants see ënotes to editorsí.
Peter Luff MP, Chair of the Trade and Industry Select Committee said: ëThe Hearings will provide policy makers, commentators and businesses with an unrivalled opportunity to hear at first hand what is happening in this challenging and often paradoxical country and decide on ways aheadî.
To reserve a place on one or all of the hearings contact: e-mail: cmc-office@wmin.ac.uk telephone: 44 (0)20 8357 7358
Special events on how to understand and benefit from the Chinaís Economic and Political Growth
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