News & Events

Bavarian Prime Minister Seehofer visits China

Horst Seehofer, Bavarian prime minister and Chairman of the Christian Social Union visited China between April 26th and 30th. As part of his first delegation to China he met with high-ranking politicians like Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Beijing as well representatives from different universities and the industry. During his stay Seehofer, who recently joined the board of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), had a chance to meet members of the Chinese HSF Alumni Association. In Qingdao he also gained insight in the HSF and DAAD cooperation project with the German department of the University of Qingdao and the Master and Bachelor programs it offers in intercultural German studies. 

Globalization, Democracy and the Welfare State

Together with the Center for German Studies (ZDS) the Hanns Seidel Foundation invited participants to an open event at Beijing University. Professor Elmar Rieger gave a presentation on the topic “Globalization, Democracy and the Welfare State”, which was followed by a discussion. Prof. Rieger talked about the relationship between globalization and social security systems (also see previous entry) and further examined the function of democratic systems in promoting and institutionalizing social welfare as well as negative impacts for the global community in the long-term, if there are widespread inadequacies in that sector.

Globalization and Social Welfare

In cooperation with the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China the Hanns Seidel Foundation organized a workshop on March 19th 2010 in Beijing. Researchers from Germany and the Central Party School offered their perspectives on "Globalization and Social Welfare - the development of social protection in China."

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30 Years of Chinese-German Cooperation in Vocational Training

"Cooperation, Development and New Perspectives" was the theme of a forum to celebrate "30 Years of Chinese-German cooperation in vocational training" on November 29th and 30th in Beijing. Among the participants invited by the Ministry of Education (MoE) where representatives of departments and educational institutions from all over China and from Chinese and German ministries, but also representatives from organizations that have been actively engaged in vocational education in China like the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the GTZ and InWEnt as well as German enterprises.

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Exchanges of Views with Chinese Partners

During his recent stay in China Christian J. Hegemer, Director of the Institute for International Contact and Co-operation of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) enjoyed the chance to meet with partners of the HSF in China for multifaceted exchanges of views. During the meeting with Chen Haosu, Chairman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the focus was on current political developments. At the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Mr. Hegemer and Zhang Zhongjun, Deputy Director of the General Affairs Office talked about the positive development of the ongoing academic exchange between the Central Party School and the Foundation. With Wu Haiyang, director of the Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center of the Ministry of Land and Resources, Mr. Hegemer discussed upcoming projects and an extension of the scope of the cooperation.

German Parliamentary Elections 2009

In the run-up to the German parliamentary elections 2009 (Bundestagswahl) the alumni organization of the Hanns Seidel Foundation co-organized an event with the Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA) on September 19th, 2009. Topics of the presentation and the discussion included the changing political landscape in Germany and underlying societal tendencies as well as new challenges for political parties in redefining themselves and in ensuring voter loyalty.

Educational Partnership between Pingdu and Datong

In the past year a close educational partnership was formed between the Vocational Training Center Pingdu in the Eastern Shandong province and the Datong Vocational School in the Western Qinghai province. In 2009 and 2010 more than 30 participants will take part in a special training program, among them are students from the Hui and Tu minorities as well as Mongolians and Tibetans.

Environmental Protection - A Social Challenge

” Not only did we learn more about different approaches to CO2 reduction and energy efficient reconstruction of buildings, we also gained valuable insights into the social environments and day-to-day life” stated Feng Zuoku, vice president of the CPAFFC. He was the head of a delegation of Chinese parliamentarians who visited Germany from June 28 th to July 5 th 2009. The main topic was environmental protection with a focus on energy efficient building techniques, but also included political talks with German parliamentarians.

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A Visit in Gansu Province

"We want to be actively involved in regions where support is needed," said Chief Executive Dr. Peter Witterauf at the end of his stay in Gansu, one of Chinas structurally weakest provinces. During his visit Dr. Witterauf enjoyed the chance to personally examine the growing network of vocational schools working together with the Hanns Seidel Foundation that developed in the past 10 years. Regular training measures for teachers and school management are offered to improve the quality of vocational training and thus the job prospects of young people from rural areas.

10 Years of Cooperation

"Justice in modern societies" was the theme of an academic get together on June 11 th, 2009 to celebrate 10 years of cooperation between the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and the China Central Party School (CPS). Dr. Peter Witterauf, Chief Executive of the HSF stressed in his speech that the long-standing academic discourse is an important pillar in Sino-German relations. Vice-President of the CPS Prof. Dr. Shi Taifeng, who personally signed the first cooperation agreement in Munich, emphasized that differences between countries should form no obstacle to cooperation and dialogue.

Symposium: Land Consolidation and Land Development

From Mai 18th to May 20th 2009 the Chinese-German Symposium on land consolidation and land development was held in Qingdao and Qingzhou, Shandong. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), Renmin University, the Technical University of Munich and the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

Chinas future Development and the World Economic Crisis

As part of the ongoing program for academic exchange, the Hanns Seidel Foundation in cooperation with the Central China Party School (CPS) organized a small-scale conference. The topic of the event held on March 27 th was “Chinas future development and the world economic crisis.”

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Lecture: The German Party System

On March 24 th Arnfried Griesbaum followed an invitation by the China Central Party Schools Department of Party Construction to hold a lecture about “The German party system and the federal election in 2009”. Among the participants were professors and students of the CPS.

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Chinese Society in Transition

On November 12 th 2008 a conference was held as part of the ongoing academic exchange program between the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation and the China Central Party School (CPS). The theme of the conference was “ Chinese Society in Transition: Conflicts, Solutions and Strategies” , a mong the participants were professors and post-graduates from the CPS.

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Focal Point: Globalization and Demographic Change

From December 3rd to 10th 2008, a delegation of professors from the Central Party School (CPS) visited the Federal Republic of Germany at the invitation of the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The core theme of the visit, which included stop-overs in Berlin , Bamberg and Munich , was “Globalization and Demographic Change – New Challenges to the Welfare State.”

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Vocational education: likewise a topic for „Germany and China – moving ahead together”

The second stop for the event series „Germany and China – moving ahead together“ was Chongqing. It was the wish of the municipality Chongqing to put the topic vocational education on the agenda. Hence, the 1-day conference on „Chinese-German cooperation in vocational education – achievements, open questions and future strategies” was held at the conference pavilion in the Germany Esplanade on 14 May 2008.

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President of Bavarian Parliament visits Shandong

On invitation of the partner province Shandong the President of the Bavarian Parliament and Vice Chairman of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Alois Glück visited China from April 28th – May 3rd, 2008. In talks with government representatives he was informed about current developments in Shandong. During visits to regional projects of the Hanns Seidel Foundation he gained direct insights into the various cooperations of the foundation in China.

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Meeting of scholarship holders in Sichuan

On 10 April 2008 a meeting of scholarship holders of the Hanns Seidel Foundation took place at the Sichuan Agriculture University in Yaan. There are 20 scholarship holders in Sichuan, half of them study at the University in Yaan 122 km southwest of Chengdu, whearas the other half is enrolled at the Xichang College in southern Sichuan.

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