It was all smiles at the French embassy in Beijing on Nov 10 as Yo-Jung Chen received the National Order of Merit. French presidents have bestowed the medal for distinguished civil and military service since then-President Charles DeGaulle created the order in 1963. French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann presented the knight-level medal on behalf of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Chen, soft-spoken with a sense of humor, chuckled when new acquaintances in China asked where he is from. ("France," he said, "despite my not-so-Gallic name.") Chen has served in diplomatic missions in Japan, Vietnam and the United States as well as Paris; he came to China about two years ago for the first time in his life to take up his current post as deputy press officer. "Actually, I am not even able to speak Chinese correctly," he said of the newest of five languages he's learned, though we observed him chatting with Chinese guests quite comfortably.

The Danish engineering company Grundfos donated three pump systems to Harbin Institute of Technology in China last week "to enhance students' mindset of system integration and energy conservation," the Danish embassy said.

At the ceremony in Harbin were Zhang Xianyou, vice-mayor of Harbin; Soren Jacobsen, minister counsellor from the Danish embassy; Peter Yan, public affairs director at Grundfos China and Egon Hygom Poulsen, research and development of Grundfos China.

"Harbin and Aarhus are old friends as sister cities," Zhang said. Sorensen said the Danish government has realized the importance and value of cooperation with China. "The embassy urges Danes and Chinese to interact as much as possible culturally, socially and commercially," he said, saluting Grundfos for its annual investment in R&D, talent training and support to education. In 2005 Grundfos donated 24 pumps to Hargin's School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering.

The British embassy noted that China is the most popular destination out of the BRIC countries for UK holidaymakers, according to the World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report released this week.

Out of the 1,006 Britons on holiday surveyed, 46 percent are interested in visiting China and another 8 percent have already done so. More than 1,000 senior executives in the world's tourism industry, also part of the survey, said China is the most important country for their businesses, with the country's natural beauty, growing economy and the availability of direct flights being key reasons.

Greek politicians are still wrangling about their country's fiscal future, but that didn't stop Greek Ambassador to China Theodoros Georgakelos from welcoming Chinese business leaders to an Invest in Greece seminar in Beijing this week. Inviting the attendees to "follow the successful path of leading Chinese companies", Georgakelos said his country's ambitious privatization program offers opportunities in many sectors, including tourism, clean energy, biotechnology and ore mines.

The Austrian embassy announced that a Nov 19 showing of Villa Henriette, in German with Chinese subtitles, will give local youngsters a cross-cultural experience at Beijing's Juvenile & Children Reading Experience Wonderland.

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