Global Security Initiative Concept Paper – Panel Discussion
Join Dr Jenny Clegg, SACU Vice President, in conversation with leading experts in the fields of China, peace and defence: John Gittings, Keith Bennett, Tom Unterrainer and Dr Zeno Leoni. About the speakers Dr. Jenny Clegg is a researcher and author specialising in China and Asia Pacific affairs. Her book "China’s Global Strategy: Towards a Multipolar World" was published by Pluto Press in 2009. She is a longtime peace activist. Keith Bennett is a researcher and consultant on China’s international relations as well as the co-editor of ‘Friends of Socialist China’ platform. Tom Unterrainer is the Chair of the UK […]
The Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding/Peking University ESSAY/ ART COMPETITION 2023-2024
THE INTRODUCTION The Society for Anglo- Chinese Understanding (SACU) was founded over 50 years ago to build friendship and understanding between the peoples of China and the UK. The SACU/ Peking University Essay Competition began as part of the marking of SACU’s 50th Anniversary in 2015. Now in its 7th year the aim of the competition is to encourage the younger generation to define harmony by exploring literature, art, philosophy and/or international relations and to consider ways of promoting friendship and understanding between the peoples of the UK and China. THE THEME How do you see harmony in the cultural […]
‘Infamous’ Curator-led Exhibition Tour at The Portico Library, Manchester
The Portico Library 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, United KingdomExhibition curator Iris Yau (SACU Council) is giving a private tour for SACU members of her exhibition 'Infamous: Opium, Silk, Tea and the Mission' at The Portico Library in Mosley Street, Manchester on Saturday 9 March 2024, from 2.00pm. Iris Yau (SACU Council) at her exhibition "Infamous: Opium, Silk, Tea and the Mission" Please contact Iris for further details: iris@sacu.org.uk
March Against Sinophobia – Saturday 16 March 2024
Home Office - Westminster 2 Marsham Street, London, United KingdomCalling all SACU members and friends to support this global demonstration against racism towards people with Chinese, South East and South-East Asian heritage. Last year over 15,000 people took to the streets of London as part of an international day of protest for United Nations Anti-Racism Day. SACU stood with them, spreading awareness of the rise in Sinophobia and anti-South East Asian sentiment. Saturday 16 March 2024 - join us again by looking for the SACU Banner (a dragon might be joining us this year) outside the Home Office in Westminster. Nearest tube stations are St James's Park, Westminster and […]
The Mission! – The Portico Library, Manchester
The Portico Library 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, United KingdomExhibition Curator Iris Yau (SACU Council) is in conversation on the ‘Mission’, the reaction from some churches and Christians to both the opium trade and China. Iris Yau (丘靜雯 FRSA FHEA) discusses Missionaries in China with Dr Debbie Challis (FRHS) and their role in the campaigning against the opium trade, the ambivalent view of the Church of England and eyewitnesses to the trade of it. Book on Eventbrite here (there is a charge): SACU members can attend the event free of charge, email the exhibition curator Iris Yau (SACU Council) for complimentary tickets: iris@sacu.org.uk Iris Yau (SACU Council) at […]
Spring Concert – East-West Dialogue Music Concert
Royal Academy of Music Marylebone Road, London, United KingdomSACU is co-host for this evening’s Lunar New Year concert celebrating music and cultural exchange at the Royal Academy of Music, together with the Sino-British Ensemble and the UK Beijing Arts Centre. All welcome. Our concert will feature musicians from diverse backgrounds, showcasing the power of cultural harmony through music, in celebration of Spring Festival and SACU's 60th anniversary year. SACU President Prof. Michael Wood will make the welcome speech. Sino-British Ensemble is an instrumental and vocal ensemble composed of young artists from the UK, including artists from China, UK, India and Germany performing innovative and fusion styles, as well […]
Dunhuang and the Mogao Caves: Joseph Needham on the Silk Road, Online talk by Frances Wood
When SACU founder Joseph Needham led an expedition to Gansu in 1943, he intended to stay for a couple of days at the Mogao caves near Dunhuang. The breakdown of a lorry and the difficulty of obtaining spare parts meant that he spent several weeks there, making drawings and taking photographs of the caves, adding considerably to knowledge of this wonderful site. The history of the caves and their exploitation by early 20th century explorers forms a background to Needham's visit. Speaker information: Frances Wood Dr Frances Wood, one of SACU's vice presidents, studied Chinese at Cambridge and Peking universities […]
London Book Fair – Launch of books by two SACU authors
Olympia Exhibition Centre Hammersmith Road, London, United KingdomThe event is part of our George Hogg110 and SACU60 activities. During the event, SACU authors Mark Thomas and Andrew Hicks will unveil their new books (Chinese editions) Blades of Grass: The Story of George Hogg and Jack Jones: A True Friend to China: The Lost Writings of A Heroic Nobody. Co-hosts: SACU and Renmin Publishing House (publisher of Blades of Grass, Chinese edition) are co-hosting this book launch event. Members who are interested in participating can book their LBF tickets at https://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/en-gb/get-tickets.html The ticket is not cheap, but people can get a discount and signed book and enjoy the whole book fair […]
Joseph Needham – Triumph over Confusion, Online Talk by Rob Stallard
Introduction In this talk, Robert Stallard will give an overview of the extraordinary life of an extraordinary man. Joseph Needham began as a leading pioneer in biochemistry and then went on to become the world authority on the history of Chinese science and civilization. His work truly revolutionised the appreciation of the Chinese contribution to science, engineering, medicine and mathematics. In spite of all his other commitments, he found considerable time to devote to bringing about the foundation of SACU sixty years ago. Free online talk - reserve your place on Eventbrite here A Zoom link will be sent shortly […]
FAU: The Friends Ambulance Unit and the Shandan Bailie School, online talk by Andrew Hicks
In the early nineteen-forties China was in desperate need, struggling to defend itself against the Japanese invaders. In Europe and North Africa, the allied war effort was on the back foot and there was little the UK could do to give practical support to its key ally, China. An important gesture was to send a motley bunch of a few hundred school leavers who had signed up as members of the Friends Ambulance Unit China Convoy to do medical relief work in China. These were pacifists who had been exempted from military service as conscientious objectors, the FAU being the […]