The diplomats stayed at the Didsbury House Hotel, where they engaged in three private group discussions. A fourth was held on campus at the in the Lee Kai Hung building.

Professor of Politics, Peter Gries, founding Director of the 91直播 China Institute (MCI), started the Dialogue in 2019 with an eye towards fostering mutual trust in UK-China relations. He said:

The retreat also included a public lunch on campus for 91直播 students to meet with the diplomats. President Duncan Ivison attended and was the first to speak. 91直播 boasts nearly 9,000 Chinese students, and President Ivison pointed to the as an example of the work the University does to support the student experience in general, and for Chinese students in particular.

Other speakers at the lunch with students included Tang Rui, the Chinese Consul General to 91直播, Ben Leibowitz representing the FCDO delegation, and Jiang Zhouteng representing the Chinese Embassy.

After the lunch, BA English Literature and Chinese student, Julia Zelazo, said: 

Similarly, Vivian Wang, who recently graduated from UoM with an MA in International Education added: 

91直播 is the first British university to set social responsibility as a core goal. Demonstrating this commitment, Nalin Thakkar, UoM Vice-President for Social Responsibility; Fiona Devine, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities; Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences, and Richard Cotton, Director of International Development, also attended the lunch.

Dr Sha Zhou received her BA and MA in English Language and Literature in China, and a MRes in Historical Research at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London.

She then obtained a PhD in Contemporary British History from King’s College London in 2021, with a thesis on the migration of ethnic Chinese women to post-war Britain. 

Most recently, she worked at the School of International Studies/Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies at Jinan University. 

Sha’s research at MCI will look at grassroots Chinese activism in twentieth-century urban Britain.

has partnered with the Humanities Vice-Dean for Social Responsibility to fund , Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Medical Sociology and Social Gerontology in the to lead a project on civic engagement with local Chinese communities.

Greater 91直播 is home to one of the largest Chinese communities in the UK. The project will focus on older Chinese adults and Hong Kong migrants who have recently come to the UK.

The project will support various social and cultural activities aimed at understanding the challenges and barriers related to life adjustment to migration and maintaining family ties and care relations across borders. It will add much-needed evidence to the literature on ageing, care, and transnational migration by focusing on the Chinese diaspora in Greater 91直播. 

The project will bring together leading scholars from the University of Manchester specialising in ageing, health, well-being, digital technology, and China to establish a strong civic network with local Chinese communities, NGOs, community organisations, and local authorities in Greater 91直播. The civic engagement activities will make a positive difference to local Chinese communities in Greater 91直播 and beyond.

Dr Nan Zhang and her colleagues aim to develop a review paper on ageing, transnational care and digital technology, as well as a major grant proposal in this area. The researchers will organise public lectures on ageing, family, and filial piety in Chinese society, coinciding with traditional Chinese festivals throughout 2024/2025. 

Inspired by the MCI’s successful , they will also launch an amateur photo competition featuring ageing, care and filial piety among Chinese families in Greater 91直播.

She has extensive experience in HE, including in research and partnership development, stakeholder engagement, budgeting and events management. Before joining MCI, Yannan worked at the Institute of Education (IOE) at UCL for over five years. 

As a Research Centre Manager, she worked alongside the Centre Director to set up a Centre for Teacher and Early Years Education. This research centre was founded through a philanthropic donation and worked to contribute to the improving of the quality of early years education in China through research collaboration between IOE and partner universities in China.

During her time at UCL, Yannan was seconded to the IOE Research Development as the Research Development Manager. She contributed significantly to the institution’s five-year Research Strategy Delivery Plan to grow its research impact. 

To widen her experience, Yannan also worked at IOE Marketing and Communications as the Faculty Events Manager, running flagship recruitment events across PGT/PGR, UG and Initial Teacher Education and public facing events.

Prior to UCL, Yannan worked at London South Bank University’s Confucius Institute for nearly nine years. She held senior positions including Deputy Director, in developing, communicating and implementing the Institute’s strategy. Before coming to London, Yannan served as a lecturer in Business English at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.

The votes have been counted. The People’s Choice Award winners of the 2024 UK-China Photography Competition are Chih-Yu Chuang’s photo ‘My Morning Ritual of the Day’, and Muhammad Sajeer Parambath’s entry ‘Brewing Bonds: Jing’s Overflowing Coffee’. Each winner claims a prize of ?100 in cash.

Coincidentally, both images focused on the theme of food and drink. 

Chuang commented of the winning photo: 

“Starting my day means embarking on a daily breakfast adventure, a joy I find even when travelling.” 

And Muhammed said of his image: 

“Jing’s morning ritual of crafting coffee for his colleagues brims with warmth and care, fostering heartwarming moments and laughter among the group.”

Run by the (MCI) and at The University of Manchester, the theme of this year’s competition was 'Daily Rituals’. The top 30 finalists and winning photos were shortlisted out of hundreds of submissions received from China and the UK.

Each entry demonstrated how a thoughtful photograph can transcend cultural and linguistic divides, reveal our common humanity, and enhance mutual understanding between China and the UK. The votes were registered in person at this year’s Photo Exhibition at Alliance 91直播 Business School, at the , and online via Google and WeChat.

MCI Director, , said: 

It will explore the birth of modern Sino-African relations, when the Qing Chinese government agreed to a deal with Britain to transport some sixty-thousand Chinese workers to labour in gold mines in South Africa’s Transvaal colony between 1903-1910.

Through multilingual archival work, Nick will examine how this contested transimperial venture functioned to introduce and shape conceptions of Africa and its peoples in China—and how these conceptions influenced the emergence of Chinese modernity. 

In this way, the project hopes to offer a ground-breaking contribution to understudied histories of the globally significant present-day relationship between China and the African continent.

The Early Career Fellowship is a highly competitive research grant awarded annually by the Leverhulme Trust to support the work of early career scholars. 

The award supports 36 months of full-time research and includes funding for research expenses. The research will be undertaken at Durham University under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Courtney. But Nick will remain a Scholar in Residence at MCI.

Nicholas McGee has been involved with the 91直播 China Institute since 2019, and has most recently been working as a Lecturer in Chinese History at Durham University. His work explores questions of migration, nationality, and empire in 18th, 19th and 20th-century China. He is currently developing a book manuscript on the origins of the modern relationship between the Chinese state and the Chinese diaspora.

Aoife’s thesis, titled “Translating Kōminka: Shaping Narratives of Japanese Rule in Taiwan Through Translation Post-1975”, explores how literary translators have engaged with historical, political and cultural narratives of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan (1895-1945). It focuses on the translation history of a corpus of Japanese-language texts written by Taiwanese women during the final decade of colonial rule, arguing that their translations contain commentary on linguistic politics in colonial society, as well as Taiwanese femininity and its history. This research demonstrates the importance of considering the linguistic legacies of the Japanese colonial project after the end of empire, showing how works written in its throes possess a cultural influence beyond 1945.

The thesis was assessed by a panel of three academic judges, who commended it as ‘a courageous, incisive and beautifully written study of short texts produced by hitherto little-known women writers during the Japanese occupation 1934-1945. [Cantrill’s] analysis offers a sensitive and nuanced approach to a topic that continues to generate strident nationalist and patriotic passions.’ In addition, they noted that the thesis’ ‘conceptual reach will make it an exciting intervention in debates about the place of text and translation in mediating the political relationships between Taiwan, Japan and the PRC’. The award was made at the BACS annual conference held at King’s College London on 7-8 September 2023.

As a research associate at the MCI, Aoife is working on a postdoctoral project looking at the cultural politics of textile production in Japanese-occupied areas of China from 1931 onwards. In addition, for the academic year 2023-24 Aoife is a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester.

Before joining the Institute, she worked as a General Manager for Northeast Asia at eComplete, an eCommerce agency that helps brands expand internationally. Before that, Charlotte led various initiatives at the 91直播 Airports Group (MAG). Her work cemented MAG’s role as the Gateway of the North as MAG was going through a ?1bn transformation, including expanding its links with Asia.

Charlotte joins MCI as students return to campus for the new academic year. It is a busy time with the Institute preparing research talks and webinars on China studies, as well as growing its two signature programmes, the and the .

Prof. Peter Gries, MCI Director, said:

Dr. Charlotte Shi, MCI Institute Manager, said:

The has awarded research fellow , a former PhD student at the Department of Politics, the 2023 Taiwan Studies Young Scholar Award (1st Prize).

The winning paper, “Weddings, Funerals, and Banquets: How Guanxi Serves Democracy,” explores how the informal institutions of guanxi affect political representation in Taiwan’s democracy today. Drawing on evidence from both in-depth interviews and observation, Tao argues that the unwritten rules of displaying connections with Very Important People (VIPs) lead Taiwanese national lawmakers to expend enormous effort on constituency activities in their districts. This research helps us better understand the resilience of Taiwan’s young democracy.

The winning paper was first evaluated through a double-blind external review process, and was further assessed during an oral presentation at the 20th annual EATS conference hosted by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London on 26-28 June 2023. The European Association of Taiwan Studies (EATS) promotes Taiwan studies in Europe.

“I was thrilled to hear the good news that Tao was awarded this year’s Young Scholar Award for Taiwan Studies in Europe. It is well deserved. Tao is not just one of the leading young scholars of Taiwan and cross-Strait relations today, but has also been pivotal in creating a community of young China scholars at 91直播.” -

Tao Wang is a Hallsworth Research Fellow in Chinese Political Economy at The University of Manchester. He earned a PhD in Politics from the University in September 2021. His research lies at the intersection of informal institutions, political representation, and public opinion, with a regional focus on East Asia. Currently Tao is developing a book manuscript on constituency service in Taiwan, examining the ramifications of informal rules such as guanxi.

The category received a record 20,000 votes, registered in person at this year’s Photo Exhibition at Alliance 91直播 Business School, at the University’s Community Festival, and online via Google and WeChat.

Huang Bingyao’s entry depicts his grandfather as the main character of his picture, sitting outside with a bowler hat on his head and the family treasure, the Yunnan hookah, in his hands. Commenting on his submission, the photographer said:

MCI Director, , said:

, Head of the School of Arts, Languages, and Culture at the University of Manchester, added:

Will joined the MCI in Autumn 2019, just before Covid. Despite waves of lockdowns in both the UK and China, Will’s agile leadership enabled MCI to continue to grow. For instance, Will transitioned MCI’s in-person speaker series into an online webinar series, extending MCI’s impact to a global audience from Boston to Beijing.

Will also coordinated the launch and implementation of the in 2021, creating vital opportunities for Chinese and British students to benefit from each other’s presence on campus. From 2020 to 2023, Will also managed four , including organising separate exhibitions in both Chengdu and Wuhan when lockdowns halted events in the UK.

In 2022, the University of Manchester recognised Will’s excellent work running MCI with the University’s Rewarding Exceptional Performance Award.

The retreat involved formal sit-down discussions of topics including the sources of trust and mistrust in U.S.-China relations, and confidence building and other measures to improve U.S.-China Relations. It also included informal activities for the diplomats, including hiking in Torrey Pines Reserve along the Pacific coast, and attending a Padres (San Diego) vs Cubs (Chicago) baseball game, which the Padres won. These activities gave the Chinese and American diplomats ample opportunity to get to know one another better, and further discuss bilateral issues.

Professor Peter Gries established the US-China Young Diplomats Dialogue in 2007 to generate mutual trust and improve U.S.-China relations, and cohosts it annually with Fudan University Professor WU Xinbo. It does this by creating an informal retreat-like atmosphere in which participating diplomats can establish personal relationships while frankly exchanging their views on bilateral relations. 

The 13th Dialogue was held in La Jolla, California, generously and expertly hosted by the 21st Century China Center at the University of California at San Diego. 

The participating American diplomats were Nick Snyder, Gareth Collins, Kim Fassler, Eric Bigelow, Paul Prokop, Emily Abraham, and Ashley Wood. The Chinese diplomats were LI Xiang (李想), WEN Zhirong (温志荣), HA Lisi (哈丽思), and PENG Yutian (彭宇田), all from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, and ZHU Shaoding (朱韶鼎), KANG Ning (康宁), ZHANG Jingcheng (张景铖), and HOU Jieying (侯洁莹) from the Chinese Consulates in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles respectively.

本次展览所展示的作品是今年中英国际摄影大赛的前30个作品，从数百个国际投稿中选出。参展作品和最终获奖作品由Michael Wood教授(曼彻斯特大学)、张海博士(云南大学)、朱晓闻(东南亚当代艺术中心)和孟冰纯博士(伦敦政治经济学院)组成的评审团选出。

获奖作品由大曼彻斯特郡长Gerry Yeung，曼彻斯特博物馆馆长Esme Ward，Creative 91直播负责人John McAuliffe和曼彻斯特大学DDAR负责人Kate Cambden在AMBS上公布。

The four main winners announced were:

宣布的四个大奖获奖者和作品分别是:

• 英国获奖者：Corina Andrisan 《艺术是我的宝贝》
• 中国冠军：周琤 《厨房 妈妈》
• 英国亚军：Olivia Parsonage 《麦卡的祖母帽子》
• 中国亚军：KAZ 《剃毛头》

出席的特别嘉宾包括连续五年担任大赛评委的Michael Wood教授，以及首次加入评审团的张海博士。两位评委朗读了中英两国获奖选手真挚的双语来信，讲述他们作品的美好故事。曼彻斯特大学艺术、语言和文化学院院长Thomas Schmidt和MCI院长Peter Gries也在颁奖典礼上致辞，Gries教授强调了本次摄影大赛的内核:

本次大赛优秀作品展览将于5月31日结束，期待大家亲自到场观看展览并进行现场投票，也可以在网络上投票选出最喜欢的照片。获得投票最多的作品将获得500英镑的奖金和“人民选择奖”的荣誉。在投票给您最喜欢的照片。

The (MCI), in partnership with , launched the exhibition on Wednesday 3 May in recognition of the entries from the .

Displayed throughout the entrance at AMBS is a collection of the top 30 entries, accompanied by the bilingual short stories all focused on the theme of ‘family treasures.’

The competition welcomed several hundred smartphone entries from residents of both the UK and China. The finalists and winners were selected by a judging panel comprised of Prof Michael Wood (University of Manchester), Dr Zhang Hai (Yunnan University), Xiaowen Zhu (ESEA Director), and Dr Bingchun Meng (LSE).

The winning photos were unveiled at the launch event by Greater 91直播 High Sheriff, Gerry Yeung, 91直播 Museum Director, Esme Ward, Creative 91直播 Director, John McAuliffe, and Head of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Manchester, Kate Cambden.

The four main winners announced were:

• UK Winner (?1000): Corina Andrisan with ‘Art is my Treasure’
• China Winner (?8,888): Zhou Zheng with ‘Kitchen Mother’
• UK Runner-up (?300): Olivia Parsonage with ‘Maika’s Ba’s Hat’
• China Runner-up (?2,888): Kaz with ‘Hair Shave’

Amongst the special guests attending were broadcaster and author, Professor Michael Wood, returning as a judge for the 5th consecutive year, and Dr Zhang Hai, who joined this year’s judging panel for the first time. The two judges expertly read heartfelt bilingual letters sent by the UK and China winners, giving voice to their beautiful stories. Head of the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures at the University of Manchester Thomas Schmidt, and MCI Director, Peter Gries also spoke at the ceremony, with Professor Peter Gries emphasising the heart of the contest:

The exhibition is open to visitors at AMBS until May 31. It encourages people to vote for their favourite photo, either in-person or online. The photo receiving the highest number of votes will receive a ?500 prize alongside the People’s Choice Award accolade. To view the photos and to vote online, visit the link .

The celebration event gathered together contributors, staff and members of the city’s Chinese communities to mark Dr Lee’s formal opening of the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture gallery. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, there were speeches by our President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell, former City of Manchester Deputy Lieutenant Gerry Young (speaking on behalf of Dr Lee) and 91直播 Museum Director Esme Ward. 

The speakers highlighted the importance of empathy in promoting intercultural understanding, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. The assistance and guidance provided by the 91直播 China Institute and its director Professor Peter Gries have been crucial. This institution is also funded by Dr Lee.

At a special dinner, guests toasted Dr Lee’s generosity and vision. Dr Lee was presented with a model of the moon gate which greets visitors to the Gallery, and includes Dr Lee’s poignant quote:
 

More about the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Cultural Gallery

Showcasing rarely seen collections, and drawing on powerful personal narratives, this exciting new Gallery explores the rich legacy of the relationship and enduring links between 91直播 and China. It has been informed by the research of our academics and international collaborations, and it offers a nuanced understanding of Chinese culture that includes natural history as well as the humanities.

Outstanding objects include a milu deer or si bu xiang (“four not alike”), a species rescued from the brink of extinction thanks to international collaboration. And loans from the Whitworth Art Gallery, 91直播 Art Gallery and the John Rylands library include beautifully embroidered textiles, exquisitely carved jade artefacts, porcelain vases and an astonishing 20-metre-long scroll. 

The result is a visually stunning experience further enhanced by designers Imagemakers‘ sympathetic colour scheme. The Gallery highlights personal stories of migration, friendships and collaboration to inspire empathy and build understanding.

The MCFP was launched in 2021 by 91直播 China Institute (MCI) and 91直播 China Forum (MCF), with support from the University of Manchester, aiming to help integrate new Chinese students into campus life, while simultaneously enriching the campus experience for local students. Now in its second edition, the scheme includes 40 UK-based “host” students and 60 newly-arrived Chinese students that engage in regular exciting events, seeking to break cultural barriers and develop mutual understanding between British and Chinese students.

Meeting the Lord Mayor was a chance to address the challenges faced by Chinese students across 91直播, and to spark a larger conversation about further positive Sino-British cultural exchanges. The Lord Mayor was highly receptive to the student’s concerns and proposals, as the MCFP looks to initiate a potential mentorship scheme between MCFP participants and school students across Greater 91直播. Seeing the programme’s achievements recognised on an administrative level is particularly important at a time when anti-Asian prejudice and discrimination has increased in the UK and around the world.

UoM Politics & Chinese student and Senior Host with the MCFP, Sol Stappard, emphasised the importance of the scheme at the event.

The MCI have appointed Lorelei Baciu, a Politics and Sociology graduate from the University of Manchester, with a wide expertise in the public relations and marketing sectors as their new Engagement and External Relations Officer.

Lorelei worked as as intern with the 91直播 China Institute in February 2022, where she had the opportunity to coordinate the (MCFP), an integration scheme that brings together 91直播-based ‘host’ students and newly-arrived Chinese students, with the aim of fostering intercultural friendships. 

In her new role at the MCI, Lorelei will assist with the organisation and delivery of weekly seminars and research talks as well as continuing to coordinate on the MCFP and other . Lorelei will also focus on expanding MCI’s online presence by further developing its social media accounts and .
 

The is now open, with smartphone owners in the UK or China invited to submit photos on the theme of ‘family treasures’ by the evening of Wednesday 12 April.

An expert panel of judges will name the winners for the best UK, China, and Under-16 entries, with a special prize for the ‘People’s Choice’ winner, decided by the public. Winners and runners-up will receive prizes of up to ?1,000 each.

The winning entries will be unveiled at an awards ceremony this summer and showcased alongside shortlisted entries at a dedicated exhibition on the University’s Oxford Road main campus. A selection of the winning images will also be displayed at 91直播 Museum, after it was recently reopened following a ?15m redevelopment.

For half a decade, the Competition has been a vital building block in increasing engagement, friendship, and mutual understanding between the UK and China. More than 2,000 entries have been submitted over the years, and in 2022 the ‘People’s Choice’ category received more than 30,000 votes from across the UK and China.

Professor Peter Gries, Lee Kai Hung Chair and Founding Director of the 91直播 China Institute said: “The visual medium of the photograph can overcome linguistic divides, revealing our common humanity, and promoting mutual understanding in UK-China relations.”

“The Competition theme this year is ‘family treasures’, which seeks to capture personal experiences of what it feels like to cherish something associated with family.”

“Whether it’s an object with special significance, a talent that’s been passed down for generations, or a newly discovered treasure, we’re looking for visual stories that convey the special connections people form within their families.”

“No matter how small, or what it is, it’s all about what’s treasured in the eye of the beholder – whether they are in Beijing or Birmingham.”

Professor Thomas Schmidt, Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at the University, added: “The UK-China photography competition is a true showcase of creativity and an important milestone in the annual creative calendar in the north-west of England.”

“The launch comes at an exciting time for east and south-east Asian art and culture in 91直播. It follows the opening of the Chinese Culture Gallery in the recently refurbished 91直播 Museum and the launch of the esea contemporary, an art gallery dedicated to east and south-east Asian art. We’re proud to have Xiaowen Zhu, Director of esea contemporary, as one of this year’s judges.”

“Entries from the last four editions have been truly exceptional, and we look forward to receiving many beautiful photos with their stories this year.”

Joining Xiaowen Zhu on the judging panel are Michael Wood, Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester; Dr Zhang Hai, Director of the Research Center for Visual Anthropology, School of Ethnology and Sociology at Yunnan University; and Bingchun Meng, Professor in Media and Communications at LSE.

To find out more and to submit entries, visit the UK-China International Photography Competition page at .

The awards were made possible by MCI benefactor, Dr. Lee Kai Hung. In 2020, Dr. Lee generously committed ?100,000 to match any other charitable gifts made towards the same travel fund, supporting UoM students and staff to study Chinese and conduct research on Greater China. Last year, ex-UMIST student and now one of China’s top electrical engineers, Li Ruomei, gifted ?30,000 to be paid over three years, which has been since matched by Dr. Lee’s donation. 

“I’m Keisha and I was born and raised in London. I’m currently studying Modern Language and Business & Management (Chinese) at the University of Manchester. As part of my degree, I have the opportunity to study in Taiwan where I will be able to focus on improving my Chinese at the National Taiwan University in Taipei. I believe that learning Chinese is a very useful skill and will be valuable in my future as I hope to be involved in international organisations or work in communications related roles”. - Keisha Lam, 2022-2023 Travel Fund Awardee

Aside from sending students to research in the Chinese-speaking world, the gift has enabled the MCI to fund the arrival of world class researchers to be scholars in residence at the institute. The fund will be used to cover “bench fees” at the university, allowing the MCI to host at least four multi-disciplinary scholars in China studies in the 2022-2023 year.

Dr Wang obtained his Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Manchester in 2021 with his doctoral research focusing on how the informal rule of guanxi affects political representation in Taiwan. After completing his Ph.D. in the 2021-2022 academic year, Dr Wang worked at the MCI as a Research Associate on several projects about both Taiwanese and Chinese public opinion, where he collaborated widely with a global network of scholars. Dr. Wang also initiated the highly successful talks series at the MCI, enabling many young scholars to present their research to a multidisciplinary group of peers.

As a Hallsworth Research Fellow, Dr. Wang is formulating a new project about Chinese views of cross-strait relations. The study will examine the increasingly bellicose rhetoric about cross-strait relations in Chinese public opinion and explore the driving forces behind it.

MANCHESTER 6 July 2022 – A tender moment between an older couple captured the hearts of voters for this year’s People’s Choice Award for the UK-China International Photography Competition.

After whittling down several hundred entries, the top 30 submissions were exhibited at The Alliance 91直播 Business School from 30 May to 1 July 2022, with the two main winners from the UK and China already selected by the contest’s expert judging panel during the opening ceremony. 

The  left the selection up to the public, opening the votes both online and in-person at the exhibition. In total, almost 30,000 votes were cast through a combination of WeChat, Facebook, and the exhibit ballot box.

This third Award came with a prize of ?500/?4,500, and the clear winner was a fantastic submission from 王淑云 (Shuyun Wang). Her entry ‘The Older Couple’ (老来夫妻) depicted the affection still clearly visible between an elderly duo, as the husband spooned his wife the New Year treat of Tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls). The charming photograph was taken in rural Licheng County, Shanxi Province.

The MCI and Creative 91直播 wish to congratulate all three winners once again on their wonderful entries.

The winners of the this year’s competition were revealed last night (30 May 2022) at a buzzing launch event hosted at the Alliance 91直播 Business School, where the Top 30 exhibition will also be held for the upcoming month.

Abigel Vizi’s ‘A New Definition of Home’ scooped the UK entrants prize of ?1,000, while Weiyuan Tong took home the Chinese entrants prize of 8,888 RMB for ‘Busy Two Sides’.

Both images were striking in their honesty and warmth in capturing this year’s theme of ‘The Feeling of Home’ and were similarly shot in black and white. 

The winning photos, which were just two of over 300 submissions from the UK and China, were unveiled by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Head of School Professor Thomas Schmidt, and Dr Michael Wood, broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester, who was also one of the panel of four expert judges.

The panel also included:  Dr Rupert Cox, Professor of Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester; Dr Hongwei Bao, Associate Professor in Media Studies at The University of Nottingham; and Dr Wenny Teo, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art at The Courtauld Institute of Art. 

The judging panel placed Zibo Zhou’s ‘Faraway Home’ and Ye Da’s ‘Fuel, Rice, Cooking Oil and Daily Necessities’ as very close runners-up when deciding the two main winners, as they narrowly missed out on first prize.

Although the opportunity to enter the competition is closed again for another year, there is still a chance to vote for the People’s Choice award for best picture, with votes open to the public  and public ballot box located in the AMBS foyer until June 23, when it will be moved to a satellite exhibition at the 91直播 Community Festival on 25 June. Voting will close on 26 June and the winning photographer will receive ?500. To vote online, simply go to the Facebook gallery and “like” the photo that you think should win.

On Tuesday, 26 April 2022, the School of Social Sciences and the celebrate the launch of ‘ the new book from

In his new publication, Dr Stroup asks why doesn’t conflict plague relationships between the Hui and the State? And how do they navigate their ethnicity in a political climate that is increasingly hostile to Muslims? Drawing on interviews with ordinary urban Hui, the book develops a distinctive account of how the boundaries of Hui identity is contested between groups of Hui rather than between the Hui and the State. By channelling contentious politics towards internal boundaries, the state is able to exert control.

David Stroup is a Lecturer of Chinese Politics at the University of Manchester. He received his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in August 2017. His current research, drawing on ethnographic and interview gathered over the course of a year in China on Fulbright Research grant, focuses on how the renegotiation of ethnic boundaries in ethnic Hui Muslim communities in the context of urbanization interacts with China’s state policies on ethnic and religious identification.

The launch is open to all interested parties and will take place on Tuesday, 26 April 2022 on Zoom between 12:30-13:30pm.

Dr. Han-Wu-Shuang (Bruce) Bao 包寒吴霜 received a BSc degree in psychology from Beijing Normal University and subsequently a PhD in social psychology from Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests range from social cognition to cultural psychology, with a focus on personal names in studying social perception and cultural change. 

Bruce’s expertise lies in quantitative research methods such as time series analysis and word embedding, and he has developed a suite of programming toolkits for more efficient data analysis in psychological and behavioural sciences.

“I have long been investigating Chinese cultural psychology and this position at MCI is a fantastic opportunity which perfectly fits my research interests. I look forward to the next two promising years alongside Prof. Peter Gries and my other new colleagues at MCI.”

Aoife Cantrill’s research looks at the politics of gender, literature and language in Taiwan and China under Japanese imperialism. She is currently finishing her PhD at the University of Oxford, which explores how translators have used women's writing to shape narratives of Japanese rule in Taiwan. 

Her postdoctoral project will examine everyday objects of the cloth industry alongside literary representations of clothing in Shanghai and Manchuria between 1930 and 1945. She is excited to begin this new project at MCI in September, especially given 91直播's historic links with the global textile industry. 

“We are absolutely delighted to have two such passionate and talented academics join the research team,” MCI Director Peter Gries wrote. “Their areas of expertise perfectly match the core principles central to the MCI mission, focusing on impact, equality and understanding”.

The UK-China International Photography Competition, run by the and , is back for the fourth consecutive year.

The competition, which promotes mutual understanding in UK-China relations through the celebration of our common humanity, is this year themed around “The Feeling of Home”.

In the competition, entrants are asked to use a smartphone camera to capture a moment which evokes a feeling associated with home - whatever that might mean to you. This could be a particular person, an emotion or a specific place; anything which conjures that unique, homely feeling. Anyone may participate in the competition providing their photo was taken in either the UK or China over the past 12 months.

The competition launches on Tuesday, 1 March 2022 and closes on Tuesday, 10 May, 2022, with the top 30 photos exhibited at a gallery space in 91直播 for one month. While the UK and China winners will be announced at the opening ceremony, there will also be an ongoing vote for the People’s Choice Award during the exhibition, with the winning entry announced at the end of the exhibition.

Prizes

• Best UK Submission: ?1,000
• Best China Submission: ?1,000 [?8,888]
• People’s Choice: ?500 [?4,500]

The judging panel includes:

• , Historian and Broadcaster and Professor of Public History, The University of Manchester;
• , Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art, The Courtauld Institute.
• , Professor of Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester;
• , Associate Professor of Media Studies, The University of Nottingham

Entrants should submit their photographs by email to creative@manchester.ac.uk, with the subject line “The Feeling of Home”.

To find out more about the competition please visit the 

View the Chinese version of this article.

The 91直播 China Institute (MCI) Director, Prof. Peter Gries, has contributed to a successful bid for a British Council grant designed to strengthen UK-China institutional partnerships through academic collaboration. MCI partnered with the Universities of Exeter and Reading, and Kings College London, all members of the UK-China Humanities Alliance for Higher Education (UKCHA), in securing a total of £132,085.

As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, the grant will fund a programme which aims to re-connect UK academics in the humanities with students and scholars in China, supporting the re-establishment of existing links and new collaborations. The funding will facilitate the work of a new generation of scholars through collaborative research and networking opportunities, encouraging UK-China higher education cooperation.

Many Chinese students and scholars receive Chinese grants for travel and subsistence but are not allowed to use them for desk (or ‘bench’) fees that are routinely charged by UK universities to meet the actual costs of hosting academic visitors. A relatively modest sum averaging £2.5K per person would bridge this gap and leverage off other funding so that mobility and academic exchange can take place. Visiting Chinese students and scholars would be hosted in their home Humanities departments, and would also be offered a “hot desk” within MCI’s Scholars in Residence program, should they wish to interact with Chinese speaking colleagues as well.

“I’m thrilled that 91直播 was part of a winning bid for the British Council grant,” said Director Gries. “Given the recent deterioration of UK-China relations, jump-starting academic collaborations is both important and timely.”

The two-year programme will commence January 2022.

Covid-19 has made traveling to the Chinese speaking world more difficult, so the fund has been expanded to include students and early career scholars from the Chinese speaking world to visit the University of Manchester to study or conduct research. Individual travel awards will typically range from £500 to £2500, and be used to cover flights, tuition, or desk fees. MCI recently renovated its scholars in residence and research rooms in its Grade II listed building on Waterloo Place, and is prioritising the creation of a thriving, academic hub.

How to apply

If you wish to apply for an MCI UK-China Travel Scholarship or Grant, please fill out  and email it together with a one-page CV to mci@manchester.ac.uk with the subject line, ‘MCI UK-China Travel Fund application'.

The 91直播-China Friendship Programme (MCFP) further seeks to develop mutual understanding and friendships between students of the two nations, particularly important at a time where Covid-related anti-Asian prejudice, discrimination and aggression has increased across the UK. Speaking of the launch, Director of the MCI, Peter Gries commented:

“I am thrilled to learn that the 91直播-China Friendship Programme is now live. With pandemic-enforced travel restrictions and online learning, opportunities for face-to-face interactions between Chinese and British students at 91直播 have declined precipitously. Given that China’s diplomatic relations with the UK have become increasingly complex over the past two years, it is ever more important that our students, who will carry UK-China relations forward, have the opportunity to interact while here in 91直播. Better integrating our many Chinese students into the life of our campus will benefit all involved”.

The programme will consist of Manchester-based “host” students who will build relationships with incoming Chinese freshers. A number of exciting events will be organised throughout the academic year to help develop these relationships, before an end-of-year ceremony, whereby the progress of those involved in the programme will be acknowledged. Rhys Whalley, Executive Director of the 91直播 China Forum said:

"The 91直播-China Friendship Programme is an exciting opportunity for all 91直播-based students to enhance their understanding of other cultures and forge friendships across borders. Greater 91直播 prides itself on its diversity and openness to new arrivals from across the globe and has always enjoyed incredibly strong links with the Chinese community.

"MCFP is a welcome addition that will provide local and international students with a unique opportunity, to take a leading role in developing long-lasting relationships that can serve to enhance mutual understanding between our two countries. This initiative also provides a great way for the City and the University to collaborate further, in promoting the ideals of inclusivity and diversity while at the same time supporting both local and international students in building cultural bridges across borders."

MCI and its partners hope that this academic year will just be the beginning for the MCFP initiative, and successful, long-lasting relationships can be forged and built upon over the coming years.

The Hallsworth Conference Fund seeks to fund 4-6 landmark events each year that have emerging importance to the Humanities, exploring a wide range of issues, including global inequalities, international relations and creativity and heritage. Dr Morris is a postdoctoral research fellow at the 91直播 China Institute who researches mobility, surveillance and digital geography, and has recently written on . During fieldwork in Beijing, Dr Morris explored the dynamic Chinese zine scene, from both Mainland China and the Greater China region, finding zines to be a medium through which creative stories of migration, gender, inequality and the mundane could be told in ways that often circumvent censorial systems.

"I'm really looking forward to hosting this conference on zines and self-publishing in China at the MCI and want to thank the Hallsworth Conference Fund for their support. Thanks to their support, not only are we able to host a conference on an under-researched topic, but we are also able to host this conference in an innovative way. I'm really excited to produce our own conference zine, to host zine-making workshops and to bring zine-makers to the conference table." Dr Carwyn Morris

The conference will bring together zine creators, academic specialists in zines and academics who research China's feminist (self-)publishing past and present to help stimulate a research agenda on Chinese zines and feminist self-publishing. By hosting two workshops, the conference will not only explore the medium of zines but also explore zine-making practices.

Dr Morris will also produce a zine in collaboration with photographer , creative brand , and incoming University of Oxford PhD student, Bonnie Wang. The conference zine will interview young adults to collaboratively explore the aesthetics and ideas found in 1930s Chinese women's publishing and to reflect on China's feminisms and consider how much has changed since the Republic of China era. It is hoped the conference can inspire both academic and non-academic publications, including the production of more zines. 

Dr Morris hopes to hold the conference in early 2022, with the first volume of the zine conference available by mid-October. A call for papers will go out for conference participation before September. Dr Morris would be happy to hear from any zine makers or zine researchers who may be interested in taking part in the conference.

The 30 shortlisted photographs were then exhibited at the , China, where the awards ceremony took place on 10 June and the competition continued with a third award, the People’s Choice Award, which asked the public to decide on the final winning photograph.

The Award came with a prize of £500/¥4,500, and the public were asked to vote either through ‘liking’ their favourite image on Facebook/WeChat or voting in-person at the exhibition in Wuhan. In total over 6000 votes were cast, with a total of almost 15000 people visiting the exhibition in person.

The clear winner was a submission from 陈碧鑫 (Bixin Chen), whose photograph titled ‘Caring for the left-behind elderly’ (关爱留守老人) showed volunteers carrying rice and oil to the elderly residents of Xinchu Village in Zhejiang Province in eastern China, in 2021.

The award for the Best went to Ruthie Clegg, whose photograph 'What Does Caring Mean to Me?', presented an NHS worker, in a hospital at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. The award for the Best China Submission went to Hongwei Zhang (张洪卫) whose entry , showed an elderly couple sat in front of their home, the wife helping her husband to trim his toenails. Both of these winners received £1,000/8,888 RMB.

The well-attended ceremony warranted coverage from Chinese news stations, with local dignitaries and representation from the Wuhan UK consulate adding prestige to the occasion. UK Ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson was in attendance and announced the two overall winners, with Professor Alessandro Schiesaro (Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures) and Peter Gries (Director of the 91直播 China Institute) giving remote speeches congratulating the winners. During his speech, Professor Gries said:

“I’m thrilled that this year’s winners on the Chinese side and the UK side, well capture that caring is common to the human condition, which I think is particularly valuable at a time when COVID-19 has led to a lot of isolation between individuals and international relations have become difficult. I think it makes these photos that emphasise our common humanity particularly touching.”

Michael Wood also gave a remote speech, in which he stated “The photos coming in this, of all years, have really transported all of us – especially the Chinese photos back to the streets of China, and the joy and affability of the people.”

The award for the Best UK Submission went to NHS worker, Ruthie Clegg, whose photograph was taken in a hospital at the height of the pandemic. It shows the nonverbal ways that Ruthie and her colleagues cared for each other during an incredibly difficult period. In her pre-recorded acceptance speech, Ruthie told us how much it meant to receive the award, and stressed the need for caring amid tough times: “It was really important to be there for one another, as staff members, as nothing ever prepared us for what we were going to see in this past year”.

The UK Ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson DCMG (right) presented the award for the Best China Submission to Zhang Hongwei (张洪卫), whose image presented an amusing snapshot of life in rural Yunnan, showing a wife ably trimming her husband’s toenails. Zhang attended the Wuhan awards ceremony in person, travelling all the way from Yunnan (the equivalent journey of London to Rome!).

Both overall winners received £1,000/8,888 RMB. A third award is still up for grabs, and the recipient is to be decided by the public. Voting for the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a prize of £500/¥4,500, is now open. Have your say by heading over to Creative 91直播’s Facebook page and ‘liking’ your favourite image in the album entitled .

Promoting mutual understanding in UK-China relations, this year’s – presented by and the – celebrates the 35th anniversary of Manchester’s twinning with Wuhan, the capital of Hubei.

Running from 1 March-11 May 2021, the competition invited amateur photographers from the UK and China to encapsulate what ‘Caring’ means to them within a smartphone photo, for the chance to win one of two top prizes: £1000 for the best UK photo and ¥8,888 for the best photo entered from China.

Hundreds of photographs were submitted to the competition, each responding to the theme of Caring in a different – often profound – way. Taken as a whole, these photographs serve as a reminder that whatever the national differences between the UK and China, we are all human beings who cherish affection.

A panel of esteemed judges including (Historian, Broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester) reviewed the submissions and whittled them down to a shortlist of 30, which will be displayed at an exhibition at the from 10-30 June. The overall winners from each country will be unveiled at the exhibition opening, with a further winner – selected by the public – to be announced when the exhibition closes.

Voting for the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a prize of £500/¥4,500, is now open. Have your say by heading over to Creative 91直播’s Facebook page and ‘liking’ your favourite image in the album entitled .

The 91直播 China Institute is delighted to announce the recruitment of two new student interns through the Q-Step Program to join a study of how gendered stereotypes shape patterns of racial prejudice, discrimination, and aggression against Asian and Black men.

University of Manchester second-year politics students Elena Keefe and Ihesinachi Oyouwa Oko-Jaja were selected to join the study from a large pool of candidates. The multi-study, multi-method project was inspired by developments in #STOPASIANHATE and BLM in 2020-21. The newly-appointed Q-Step interns will use semi-automated quantitative content analysis this summer to explore US social media texts for the expected racial stereotypes about masculinity.

“I feel honoured and excited to be able to contribute to the [MCI] project on gendered stereotypes of Asian and Black men through the Q-step program,” Elene Keefe (pic right) of Manchester writes. “Racial inequality, specifically, is an issue I am passionate about… as stereotyping and racial prejudice are still all too prevalent in the UK and internationally.” 

Ihesinachi Oyouwa Oko-Jaja (pic left), who is pursuing a joint politics-criminology degree, echoed Elena’s sentiments. “The BLM and #StopAsianHate movement have really highlighted the importance of approaching racial and gender discrimination in an intersectional, nuanced way, both in academia and wider society. To contribute to this goal on the Q-step internship is an amazing opportunity… I'm excited to work on this project and use our platform to investigate, understand and bring attention to gendered racial discrimination and violence that people have long-endured”.

“Our research team is thrilled to have two such passionate and talented new members join us,” MCI Director Peter Gries wrote. 

曼彻斯特和武汉于1986年正式结为友好姐妹城市。同年，中国驻曼彻斯特总领馆成立。几十年来，华人对曼彻斯特的影响和文化促进了这一伙伴关系的建立，时至今日，形成了庞大的华人社区，以及曼彻斯特市中心着名的中国城。

去年的经历人们依然历历在记，并给予了2021年的结好纪念更多意义，强调了在历史联系的基础上，武汉和曼彻斯特两市更应继续巩固这一友谊。作为其中的一个环节，旨在鼓励持续的文化交流和观点交流，促进两市和中英两国之间积极的联系和更多的文化理解。

今年摄影大赛的主题是&濒诲辩耻辞;何谓关爱&谤诲辩耻辞;。关爱朋友、家人、陌生人和社会。如欲了解更多比赛信息及如何参赛，请点击 。排名第一的摄影作品不仅将获得现金奖励，入围作品还将在武汉市中心的展出叁周。英国驻武汉总领事馆是今年摄影大赛及照片展的协办单位之一，本次摄影大赛将为今夏及以后更多的曼彻斯特-武汉周年庆典系列活动拉开序幕。

英国驻武汉副总领事华熳廷(Martin Walley)强调了通过摄影大赛这类项目增进人文联系，促进中英友好关系的重要性:

&濒诲辩耻辞;我很高兴看到2021年中英国际摄影大赛将于今年夏天来到武汉。&谤诲辩耻辞;&濒诲辩耻辞;本次大赛的主题是&濒蝉辩耻辞;何谓关爱&谤蝉辩耻辞;，这让我想起了去年曼彻斯特和武汉对彼此的支持。面对新冠肺炎疫情，从政府领导到当地的小学生，两市的人民通过提供医疗设备和加油打气的方式，相互给予了关爱。&谤诲辩耻辞;&濒诲辩耻辞;正是这些人与人之间的联系，为互惠互利的关系带来了繁荣。2021年恰逢曼彻斯特和武汉建立友好姐妹城市35周年，我们将通过签署双方共同商定的新的叁年行动计划来深化这一关系，巩固未来两市在各个层面的合作。&谤诲辩耻辞;

摄影大赛的投稿截止日期是5月4日，后期选出的优秀作品将于6月9日-29日在武汉天地壹方购物中心展出。

编者按：为庆祝曼彻斯特和武汉姐妹友好关系35周年，两市将在6月至10月举行一系列线上和线下周年庆典活动。活动包括:《2021-2023年行动计划》市长签署仪式、主题合作研讨会、面向公众的摄影、设计和艺术展览等。&濒诲辩耻辞;2021年中英国际摄影大赛&濒诲辩耻辞;将作为周年庆典中6月份的亮点活动。

©?武汉市文化和旅游局

91直播 and Wuhan were officially twinned in 1986, the same year that the Chinese Consulate-General in Rusholme, 91直播 opened its doors. This twinning process was built on several decades of Chinese influence and culture in 91直播, which revolved around its large Chinese community and the famous city-centre Chinatown.

With the events of the past year still firmly in people’s minds, the 2021 twinning anniversary holds extra significance and emphasises the need to keep building on the historic friendship. The is one rung in the ladder which hopes to encourage continued cultural exchanges and perspective-taking, fostering positive links and greater cultural understanding between the two cities, and nations.

The theme of this year’s Competition is “Caring”. Caring for friends, family, strangers and society. For more information and details of how to enter, please visit the . The top-ranked photographs will not only receive cash prizes, but the finalists will also have their entries exhibited for three weeks in in Wuhan’s city centre. The British Consulate-General in Wuhan is one of this year’s co-organisers, and the photo competition will act as a precursor to more activities over the summer and beyond, celebrating 91直播 and Wuhan’s historic links.

Martin Walley, British Deputy Consul-General in Wuhan has been discussing the importance of fostering links through programmes such as the photo competition benefits UK-China relations:

“I am very happy to see that the International Photo Competition 2021 is coming to Wuhan this summer. The theme ‘What does caring mean to you?’ reminds me of how supportive 91直播 and Wuhan were to each other last year.

"When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the people of the two cities, from government leaders to primary school students shared their caring, by providing medical equipment and spiritual support to the people in their sister city.

"It is these examples of People to People links that bring prosperity to a mutually beneficial relationship. 2021 also marks the 35th anniversary of the sister city relationship between 91直播 and Wuhan, and we will deepen this relationship by signing a new jointly agreed three-year action plan, to consolidate cooperation at all levels between the two cities in the future.”

The competition deadline for submissions is 4 May, and the exhibition will be on display from 9 - 29 June in Wuhan Tiandi Horizon.

©? Wuhan Culture and Tourism Bureau

In 1994, as a researcher in CEPRI, Beijing, China, Ruomei Li was awarded a Lee Kai Hung Fellowship, enabling her to spend 12 months studying at UMIST. She began her studies in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics in November 1994 (right), under the supervision of Professor Ron Allan, before departing in January 1996 to study for a PhD degree at the University of Bath, which she completed in 2000. After returning to China, Dr Li continued to pursue a successful career in the field of electrical engineering.

For over a quarter-century, Dr Li always held deep gratitude to the Lee Kai Hung Foundation. To recognise this, Dr Li has very generously donated £10,000 per year, for three consecutive years to the 91直播 China Institute (MCI). Dr Li’s philanthropic gift is a perfect example of ‘paying it forward’ – the recipient of a good deed repaying a kindness to others, rather than her original benefactor.

Currently based in China, Dr Li is the Chair of Women in Power (WIP) at the Power & Energy Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE PES). She is also in the Executive Council of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO). 

Dr Li’s gift will support the work of the 91直播 China Institute (MCI), which promotes mutual understanding in UK-China relations by conducting and supporting multidisciplinary research, teaching, and activities about China.

大赛于2021年3月1日星期一开始，截止到2021年5月3日格林威治时间晚11点59分。选出的前30名参赛作品将被打印并于2021年6月7日至27日在一个国际艺术空间展出。在展览期间，群众将投票选举“最受观众喜爱奖”。2021年6月27日获奖作品将在颁奖典礼上公布。 

奖项 

• 英国最佳照片：1000英镑 
• 中国最佳照片：1000英镑（8888人民币） 
• 最受公众喜爱奖：500英镑（4500人民币）  

评审委员会包括： 

Michael Wood, 历史学家、广播员、曼彻斯特大学公共历史学教授 

Zoe Dunbar, 中国当代艺术中心主任 

Rupert Cox ,曼彻斯特大学社会人类学教授 

Ian Scott , 艺术、语言与文化学院的社会责任与国际化总监 

Wenny Teo, Courtauld学院现代和当代艺术讲师 

所有参赛作品应发送至：creative@manchester.ac.uk，主题为“2021年国际摄影大赛”。 内容包括一张手机照片的原始格式，加上中文或英文不超过30字的题目和70-100字的文字描述（中文或英文）。

大赛详情请见：  

In the competition, entrants are asked to use smartphone cameras (no professional photography) to capture a moment associated with caring for others. Any resident in the UK or in China may participate and their photo should also have been taken in either the UK or China, and in 2021.

The competition launched on Monday, 1 March 2021 and closes on Monday, 3 May in 2021 at 11.59pm GMT. The top 30 photos selected will be printed and exhibited at an international arts space from 7-27 June 2021. There will be a vote for the People’s Choice Award during the exhibition, with the winning entries announced on 27 June 2021 at an awards ceremony.

Prizes

• Best UK Submission: £1,000
• Best China Submission: £1,000 [¥8,888]
• People’s Choice: £500 [¥4,500]

The judging panel includes:

• , Historian and Broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester;
• Zoe Dunbar, Director at the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art;
• , Professor of Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester;
• , Director for Social Responsibility and Internationalisation in the School of Arts Languages and Cultures;
• Wenny Teo, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art, The Courtauld Institute.

Entrants should submit their photographs by email to creative@manchester.ac.uk, with the subject line “International Photography Competition 2021”.

To find out more about the competition please take a look at the

View the Chinese version of this article.

Wood, a historian and broadcaster, was appointed to the position of Professor of Public History at The University in 2013 and is best known for his historical television programmes including In The Story of China, The Domesday Quest, The Story of England and In Search of Shakespeare. 

Moss Side-born Wood has been involved in many projects within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures and the 91直播 China Institute (MCI), from exploring the work of Marx and Engels with undergraduates to being a patron on the 91直播 Histories Festival and supporting the MCI’s International Photography Competition. 

MCI Director Pete Gries has contributed to a new report published by the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, which presents recent survey findings on European public opinion towards China. 

Nearly 20,000 Europeans were surveyed in September-October 2020. In 11 of 13 European countries surveyed, attitudes towards China were largely negative. These included not just advanced industrial democracies like Germany, France, the UK and Sweden, but also the formerly communist Visegrád countries of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Only the Russian and Serbian publics held largely positive views of China.

For the full report, visit the . Individual reports about each country will also be available soon. 

Given the recent deterioration in China’s relations with the West, the need for more work promoting mutual understanding is growing ever more urgent. The 91直播 China Institute is committed to supporting this goal through its research and public outreach projects.

Throughout October, the British Council is running an online festival for cultural exchange between the UK and China. Around 50 cultural institutions from both countries have provided digital content that forms more than 75 individual cultural projects, one of which is the University’s .

Launched in Spring 2020 by  and the , the competition invited residents of the UK and China to encapsulate what ‘family’ means to them using their phone camera. The top 30 photographs were displayed at the IPF gallery in Chendgu, China, ahead of an awards ceremony in June 2020. Above all else, the submissions revealed the common humanity of those living in the UK and in China, tapping into the competition’s aim of promoting mutual understanding between countries.

This aim is shared by the UK-China Contemporary Culture Festival. Rehana Mughal of the British Council in China, explains: “The festival celebrates the power of arts and culture in uniting people. It helps to increase and strengthen collaboration between artists and cultural institutions from China and the UK as both recover from the impact of the pandemic, and it introduces new work to wider audiences in China and in the UK”.

The International Photography Competition is being celebrated via a on the festival website, which houses a moving video centred on the international collaboration between the University and the IPF gallery. The competition sits alongside projects by world-renowned cultural organisations including the Tate Modern and the V&A Museum.

Also featuring as part of the festival is the competition’s head judge and Professor of Public History at the University, Michael Wood. As a historian, documentary maker and writer, Professor Wood on the prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, Du Fu. Specifically, Professor wood shares insights into making the BBC documentary Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet, which saw him make a special trip to China to retrospect Du Fu’s journeys across the country.

The full programme for the UK-China Contemporary Culture Festival is available to view via the .

The original intention was to exhibit the top 30 photographs in the Samuel Alexander building on University campus. Spring’s snowballing COVID-19 situation halted these plans, but opened up an unforeseen opportunity for international collaboration with a well-respected Chinese art gallery.

By early summer, social distancing measures had been lifted in China, leading the University to reach out to the IPF gallery in Chengdu, which kindly agreed to host both the exhibition and an awards ceremony. A new video, produced by Creative 91直播, documents the latter stages of the competition while celebrating this exciting – and unexpected – international collaboration.

The video also highlights a key lesson learned from this year’s competition, whose theme of ‘family’ took on touching new significance during the COVID-19 crisis. The opening text highlights the “common humanity” present across the top 30 photographs. “No matter where we live”, it resolves, “our similarities will always outweigh our differences”.

In addition to the video, a new has been created on the 91直播 China Institute’s website, showcasing the three winning photographs. As the standard was so high this year, a has been created to showcase the work of all 30 finalists, many of whom only narrowly missed out on the top three spots.

The exhibition culminated in an awards ceremony on Sunday, 28 June 2020. Professor Alessandro Schiesaro, Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, gave a remote speech congratulating the winners, as did the Director of the 91直播 China Institute, Peter Gries.

Head judge Michael Wood (Historian, Broadcaster, Professor of Public History at the University) also gave a remote speech, in which he praised the general quality of the submissions and stressed the “tough job” that the judges faced in arriving at a final decision. He went onto highlight the value of this competition in understanding the common humanity of those living in the UK and in China.

“The photos in this competition show us all, East and West, UK and China, about the important things in our lives. They make us think about family and friendship, and neighbourhood. They speak of our connectedness in these difficult times. Indeed you could say that these photographs tell us, more than anything else, that in the end, we are all family.”

The well-attended awards ceremony warranted coverage from Chinese news stations, with local dignitaries and representation from the Chongqing and Wuhan UK consulates adding prestige to the occasion.

The award for the Best UK Submission went to Sarah Zheng, whose photograph presented an amusing snapshot of her family’s lockdown life. The award for the Best China Submission went to Xing Luo, whose photograph moved the judges with its emotive conveyance of a young boy’s 40^th day indoors during the pandemic. Both of these winners received £1,000/8,888 RMB.

A third £500 award went to Yourong Li, whose image encapsulated the love shared by the photographer’s grandparents. This won the hearts of the public, who deemed it worthy of winning the People’s Choice Award.

The 91直播 China Institute (MCI) and Creative 91直播 have said how ‘hugely rewarding’ it has been to receive hundreds of creative submissions to the during these unusual times.

The images, according to MCI, have emerged through the darkness as acts of unity, humour and compassion.

Both organisations believe that these ideas have been reflected well through the several hundred submissions received for this year’s competition, which centred around the theme, ‘What does family mean to you?’

The first round of judging was carried out by a distinguished panel led by Professor of Public History, Michael Wood, who wrote and presented the celebrated, ‘The Story of China’ for the BBC. After the tough job of whittling down the entries, a shortlist of 30 entries has been selected.

The finalists’ images will now go on display at IPF gallery in Chengdu, China. The exhibition will be open until the closing ceremony on 28 June, when the three winners will be revealed for the categories of UK-based winner (£1,000 prize), China-based winner (£1,000 prize) and the People’s Choice winner (£500).

The People’s Choice Winner is chosen by the general public, and all 30 finalists can be viewed .

To choose your favourite image, simply ‘like’ your selection to cast your vote. Alternatively, you can vote on WeChat through .

These votes will be amalgamated with ballot votes from within the gallery itself to determine the final winner.

2020’s theme is ‘What does family mean to you’, and MCI hope to encourage family creativity during a time of global insecurity. The competition’s 30 finalists will be exhibited in the  from 5 June onwards, culminating in a Winners Ceremony on 28 June. Sichuan’s local news stations will facilitate a video link which will be accessed from the UK.

IPF’s Director Rorí Mencin believes the exhibition is a fantastic example of how creative expression can be the bridge between building mutual understanding and empathy between different cultures. “IPF Gallery's mission in Chengdu has always been to breach the boundaries between local and foreign audiences through the medium of art, and in the process, celebrate our own unique cultures, whilst highlighting our shared commonalities. As such, and we are ecstatic to host this international event organised by 91直播 China Institute at our venue.

In looking at these photos, we hope our international art community here in China and the UK can be moved toward embracing the notion that, although the meaning of family may differ based on the individual, in the international era "the global village" extends beyond the borders of any one nation, place, or framed border on the wall”.

With the chance for entrants to have their smartphone photograph on the walls of an international gallery, and with three prizes of £1,000 available, MCI hopes this new relationship can become a valuable longstanding partnership, increasing contact and creativity between 91直播 and China’s creative organisations.

Dr Katja Levy will conduct research comparing civic engagement and charitable giving in China and the UK, investigating ways in which philanthropic culture can thrive within the existing political and social structures in China. Dr Levy is currently a lecturer in Chinese politics and foreign policy at the Technical University Berlin.

At The University of Manchester, Dr Levy will explore how the British and Chinese publics have responded to global challenges, including that of COVID-19. The pandemic has presented unprecedented health, social, and economic challenges to the British and Chinese governments, creating an urgent need for volunteers and philanthropists. Alongside a broader look into the development of meaningful philanthropic culture, Dr Levy’s appointment provides an opportunity to study the COVID-19 response in real-time, with an eye towards making policy recommendations to promote philanthropic activity.

The research position has been made possible by the generosity of Kui Man Gerry Yeung OBE DL. Growing up in Guangdong and Hong Kong, Mr Yeung came to 91直播 as a teenager and built a successful career in property and hospitality, founding the famous Yang Sing restaurant in Chinatown. A former 91直播 High Sheriff, Yeung is himself active in local cultural and charitable work, as well as philanthropic activities with The University of Manchester.

“Gerry’s donation to MCI for research on civic engagement in the UK and China is extremely timely,” said Professor Peter Gries, MCI Director. “We are incredibly grateful for his generosity, and hope that Dr Levy’s research will help promote the wellbeing of the British and Chinese peoples well into the 21st century.”

Dr Levy will step into her new role when the 2020/21 academic year begins.

Three of the multi/inter-disciplinary projects are fully-funded by MICRA, while the Institute has also secured external funding from the Centre for Ageing Better and Pensions Policy Institute who will fully fund one project each. Furthermore, one project will be joint-funded by MICRA and the (MCI).

“Trajectory of allostatic load among older Chinese: A life-course approach to biological ageing,” by Dr Asri Maharani in the School of Health Sciences, “Does fatigue predictably alter visual attention and memory retrieval efficiencies in older people?” by Dr Oliver Gray in the School of Biological Sciences, and “Analysis of immune cell phenotype and heterogeneity in young versus aged wounds,” by Dr Kimberly Mace in the School of Biological Sciences, will be MICRA-funded.

The Centre for Ageing Better will fund “Growing older in Collyhurst, a site of urban regeneration – A co-research project designing age-friendly social housing,” by Dr Sophie Yarker in the School of Social Sciences, while Pensions Policy Institute will fund “Pensions and Divorce – Exploratory Analysis of Quantitative Data,” by Professor Debora Price in the School of Social Sciences.

“Socio-cultural participation and wellbeing of older people in China and UK,” by Dr Nan Zhang, who is a Presidential Fellow in the School of Social Sciences, will be jointly-funded by MICRA and the MCI, another University of Manchester Institute

The next call for MICRA Seedcorn funding is due later in the year and further information/promotion of this funding opportunity will be available in Autumn 2020.

For further details please contact Kerry Jones at kerry.jones@manchester.ac.uk or micra@manchester.ac.uk.

You can also find more information on the MICRA website.

Peter Gries, Director of the 91直播 China Institute and Professor of Chinese politics at the University discusses how coronavirus is affecting the local community.

The Year of the Rat has not started well. In China, over 10,000 people have been infected by the Coronavirus, and hundreds have died. The US, Australia, and many of China’s East Asian neighbours have  to foreigners who have recently been to China. Three major American airlines have suspended flights to China.

Things don’t look great in the UK either. In London, East Asians report feeling stereotyped as agents of disease, creating a  for them. , a Chinese student walking towards the University was verbally abused about wearing a mask. Anxiety is high.

Will the coronavirus infect our community here in 91直播?

Fear of contamination

The coronavirus appears to be moderately contagious, but  than the earlier SARS virus it is often compared to. A  has argued that there will be no Zombie Apocalypse, and it will likely be no worse than the common flu. Our best defence is frequent handwashing. Facemasks may add some additional protection, and are certainly : they are worn to prevent contagion. They are not a sign of disease.

But will the coronavirus figuratively infect our community? Will we permit it to poison our interactions with each other? Will we allow stereotypes to multiply, and prejudice to flourish? Given that The University of Manchester boasts the largest Chinese student population of any university in Europe, and the city of Manchester is home to the second largest Chinese community in the UK, these are consequential questions.

Fears of contamination can contribute to prejudice and exclusion. We should learn from our past so that we don’t repeat it. And we should mine research in psychology to better understand and combat the link between pathogens and prejudice.

Stereotypes and prejudice

Age old stereotypes of foreigners and immigrants as dirty and diseased are resurfacing, targeting Chinese. On January 27, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten posted a cartoon of the PRC flag with its stars replaced by virus molecules. While the PRC flag is associated with the Chinese Communist Party, the cartoon also links Mainland Chinese to disease. Similarly, the February 1 cover of Der Spiegel featured a Chinese man in a protective air mask and goggles, and is entitled, “Coronavirus: Made in China.”

Prejudice and pathogens are central to xenophobia. Fear of contact with the foreign often contributes to opposition to both international trade and immigration, from 19th Century America to 21st Century Britain. Importantly, xenophobia is often rationalised with arguments about the need to protect our purity from foreign contamination.

In my last book, which explored  in their worldviews and foreign policy preferences, I discuss the 1892 political cartoon “”. A boat approaches a pier, but a health officer declares, “No, gentlemen, you cannot land here; you have a bad attack of the free-trade plague, and it will take several years to fumigate you properly!” Foreign ships entering New York Harbor had brought cholera with them, and were now to be quarantined. But the cartoon is really about the partisan politics of the 1890 McKinley Tariff and the American debate over protectionism. Note the language of contamination used to support protectionism and exclusion. Foreigners bring the plague, so must be held at arm’s length until decontaminated.

Confronting the coronavirus, we can also learn from studies of the recent SARS and Ebola outbreaks. For instance, during the 2014 Ebola epidemic,  found that pre-existing levels of prejudice towards African immigrants were a stronger predictor of mandatory quarantines than actual fear of infection.

In short, let’s all take prudent measures to protect ourselves and each other from the coronavirus. But let’s not let a fear of pathogens contribute to prejudice—or be a post-facto rationalisation for exclusionary behaviours. Let’s all wash our hands of this virus—not of each other.

Peter Gries is the Lee Kai Hung Chair and Director of the 91直播 China Institute, and Professor of Chinese politics at the University of Manchester.

Founded in 1965, SACU promotes good relations between the people of China and the UK, with the Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming saying at the organisation’s 50^th anniversary that the society has the mandate to promote “the lofty cause of bridging gaps and strengthening bonds”.

Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester’s School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, Michael’s reputation as a historian and filmmaker with a depth of knowledge of Chinese culture makes him a good match for SACU, which values history and media in its mission.

2020 will be a busy year for the professor, who is publishing his book ‘The Story of China’ later this tear, while he has recently co-produced a ‘road movie in the footsteps of Du Fu’, the Chinese Tang Dynasty poet, for CCTV and the BBC.

Michael Wood’s appointment comes as Chine celebrates the new Year of the Rat, a symbol for wealth and surplus.