Category: Events

East-West Dialogue Concert, 2nd February 2025 – A Great Success

SACU was a Co-host at this sell-out concert, held at the Royal Academy of Music in London. The concert was organised by the Sino-British Ensemble, the founders were Xinyi GUO, Siyang YU and Song SHI. The UK-Beijing Arts Centre and the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU) co-hosted the event. Professor Michael Wood (SACU President) gave the welcome speech to a full house. Ambassador ZHENG Zeguang and his wife Counsellor HUA Mei attended as honoured guests with Minister Counsellor BI Haibo, and Minister Counsellor ZHAO Fei from the Chinese Embassy in the UK.    The Sino-British Ensemble was founded in 1994, […]

SACU March Against Sinophobia 2024 – BIG SUCCESS!

This Year, over 5,000 people took to the streets of London as part of an international day of protest for United Nations Anti-Racism Day on Saturday 16 March 2024. SACU and friends stood with them, spreading awareness of the rise in Sinophobia and anti-South East Asian sentiment. Iris Yau 邱 靜 雯 (SACU Trustee) spoke on stage on behalf of SACU. Iris Yau has organised and led this march against racism in London for three consecutive years. Listen to the full speech here Vivian Ni and Weien ZONG (SACU) were also on stage with the dragon (on loan from the […]

SACU/Peking University 6th Essay/Art Competition 2021-2022 Awards Ceremony, Saturday 29 October 2022

SACU and Peking University’s Edgar Snow Research Center jointly hosted this year’s Awards Ceremony online for the SACU/Peking University 6th Essay/Art Competition 2021-2022 on Saturday 29 October 2022. This year’s theme was “Our shared environment and responsibilities: what do you see as the most positive way forward?” Schools in both the UK and China took part. Zoë Reed, SACU Chair, introduced the ceremony and Professor Sun Hua, Director of the Edgar Snow Research Center of Peking University, gave an address as competition sponsor. Dr Frances Wood, SACU Vice President and chair of the judging panel, gave her thoughts on the […]

China and the Ukraine Crisis: SACU Panel Discussion

SACU brought together a panel of expert speakers on Wednesday 25 May 2022 to discuss China’s response and position on the Ukraine Crisis.  This free Zoom event was recorded and is available on SACU’s YouTube Channel here SACU ChinaChat, Thursday 9 June SACU held a follow up members-only discussion meeting. SACU ChinaChats enable members to discuss and develop their own understanding of  issues. The meetings are not recorded and are for SACU members only. Panel Victor Gao is Vice President of CCG (Centre for China and Globalisation), the Chair Professor of Soochow University, and the Chairman of China Energy Security Institute. He […]

Standing Up To Sinophobia – UN Anti-Racism Day, Saturday 19 March 2022

Pride (of Lions) and Prejudice (#standuptosinophobia) – Saturday 19 March 2022 On the 19th March 2022, 10,000 people took to the streets of London as part of the global day of protest for UN Anti-Racism Day. SACU stood with them, spreading awareness of the rise in Sinophobia and anti-southeast Asian sentiment.     We were also accompanied by a Chinese dancing lion, much to the delight of passers-by both young and old. This lion was the hit of the march, providing joy and movement to an otherwise serious affair. Its inclusion was a superb idea, blending our sombre message of […]

Young SACU Hotpot Dinner – a resounding success!

On Saturday the 26th February 2022 Young SACU held their first event, a hotpot social dinner in London for China-interested people looking to make new friends and expand their network. The event was a resounding success! All 23 tickets were sold, and all attendees were eager to express how much they enjoyed themselves. The overwhelming feedback was that they were grateful to have had an opportunity to meet like-minded people, and I am confident everyone walked away having made at least one new friend. The delicious food was also appreciated!   This event also succeeded in increasing the awareness of the […]

China, Climate Change, COP26 – What Comes Next? – SACU Expert Panel discussion

This well-attended SACU Expert Panel Discussion was held on Wednesday 8th December, 5.30-7.00pm, as a free public event by Zoom.  Chair: Carlos Martinez (SACU) Speakers: Professor Astrid Nordin (Lau Chair of Chinese International Relations in the Lau China Institute) Dr Joy Zhang (Director of Studies, Sociology at University of Kent) Sam Geall (Executive Director of China Dialogue) Denis Fernando (Climate Change Activist, Songwriter, Musician) SACU’s Expert Panel discussed what comes next for China and the world following COP26, with a focus on addressing the following questions: How should China’s involvement in COP26 be assessed and what role will it play […]

“Railways and Reunions” and SACU AGM 2 October 2021 Report

SACU’s AGM 2021 took place on Saturday 2nd October at the Wesley Conference Hotel, Euston Street, London. A new Council of 12 members was appointed and the meeting voted unanimously to convert SACU into a Charitable Incorporated Institution. Thanks to members who attended this ‘blended’ meeting either in-person or by Zoom. “Railways and Reunions” took place as SACU’s public event before the AGM on Saturday 2nd October 2021. Consul General Zheng Xiyuan of the Manchester Chinese Consulate proposed this joint event to mark the 110th Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution. We brought together family members of Dr Sun Yat-sen and […]

Education as a Bridge to Anglo-Chinese Understanding: SACU Panel Discussion Thursday 10 June

SACU’s Public Education Working Group assembled an excellent speaker panel to discuss multiple aspects of this vital collaboration.    Panel: Tim Clissold is a well-known writer on China, author of Mr China: a Memoir (2005); China Rules (2014); and most recently Cloud Chamber (2021). He is a Senior Research Associate at the Cambridge University China Centre and a champion of introducing the study of Chinese civilization in schools. Professor David Law is Academic Director, Global Partnerships, at Keele University and the author of the Higher Education Institute’s (HEPI) report on UK higher education institutes export to China. Theresa Booth is Co-Director […]

SACU ChinaChat: Living and Teaching in Beijing in the 1970s – Presentation by Michael Sheringham

SACU member Michael Sheringham was to have been interviewed by SACU Archivist Dr Linxi Li for “Your Stories with China” SACU ChinaChat series. Unfortunately, Linxi was unable to make a connection from Beijing and so Michael gave a slide presentation of his teaching experiences in China at Beida (Peking University) in the 1970s. His many photographs were fascinating; they showed how things have changed. They were in black and white as colour film was not readily available at the time.   Michael’s task was teaching spoken English to Chinese students. Other teachers taught written English and grammar. He lived in […]