Diplomatic pouch >> With Mike Peters

A toy exhibition at the National Centre for the Performing Arts celebrates "The Little Mole", a character in a cartoon series created by Czech animator Zdenek Miler.

Known as "Krtek" in the Czech original, the Little Mole was born in 1956 after Miler struggled to come up with a cartoon animal that Disney had never used before, and he tripped over an molehill during his musings. A light bulb went off in his mind, and since then the lovable critter has been a hit in many European countries as well as China, India, Japan and Mongolia. Around 50 episodes of the cartoon have been seen in more than 80 countries. Miler celebrated his 90th birthday in February.

The exhibition, part of a three-year art exchange program sponsored by the Czech Embassy, Skoda automobile company and Chinese telecom giant Huawei, opened May 31 and continues through to June 7. Children under 14 were admitted free on June 1 (Children's Day).

Young artists have been in the spotlight this week as the winners of European Union in My Eyes, a children's art contest held this spring across China, were feted at an exhibition that continues through June 6. On Sunday June 5, EU Delegation Ambassador Markus Ederer, Hungarian Ambassador Sndor Kusai (his country holds the rotating EU presidency) and the Arts Service Center of the Chinese Ministry of Culture host a reception at the National Treasure Park in Beijing for the press and the artists whose work captured youthful impressions of what Europe is about.

Three nations joined hands this week to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Sino-Czech-Slovak Friendship Farm in Cangzhou, Hebei province. Czech Ambassador Libor Secka, Slovak Ambassador Frantisek Dlhopolcek, President of the Friendship Farm Lu Zhenhua and their wives hosted a reception at the neighboring embassies this week.

The farm, a five-decade witness to the friendship of China and the Czech and Slovak people, was established in 1956 after a gift of more than 670 agricultural machinery and tools from then-Czechoslovakia to cultivate 6,667 hectares of land.

Last fall, the farm paid more than 11 million yuan (1.17 million euros) last fall for the Czech Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010, topping bids from seven other Chinese companies. The farm will invest another 20 million to recreate the pavilion on its property before National Day.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen last week appointed former EU commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard as export ambassador to China. Bjerregaard has also previously served as minister for the Social Democratic Party and Lord Mayor of Copenhagen. Bjerregaard's tasks will be to identify new bilateral export opportunities in China for Danish businesses and lead Danish export delegations to China. She will also work with the Invest in Denmark group.

Bjerregaard will serve as one of five new export ambassadors to the BRIC countries and other promising economies.

Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Mire Geoghegan-Quinn delivered a speech last week at the China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai, on EU-China research, innovation and science cooperation. The commissioner also presented certificates to graduating CEIBS students. CEIBS was established in 1994 as a joint venture between the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Embassy news can be sent to [email protected]

China Daily