At the invitation of Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, David Lammy, paid his first official visit to China on October 18th-19th.
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng warmly welcomed David Lammy and his delegation on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal Government. He emphasised that Shanghai, as a vital hub for UK-China exchange and cooperation, has become the preferred city for British companies investing in China, with over two-thirds of British enterprises in China setting up their headquarters in Shanghai.
Looking ahead, the UK and China will work together in fields such as education, technology, culture, arts, and sports. Additionally, they will work more closely on issues such as climate change, finance, industry, and other areas, to strengthen their relationship.
On the afternoon of October 19th, David Lammy, accompanied by the UK Ambassador of China, Dame Caroline Wilson, and the UK Consul-General in Shanghai, Christopher Bovis, attended a special reception titled “UK-China Arts Education and Enterprise Cooperation.”
The event, held at the Pudong Art Museum, was organised by the British Consulate-General in Shanghai and the British Council, with the aim of promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including culture and education. The reception brought together representatives from industries such as energy, healthcare, film and television, education, and the creative sectors, providing a platform for in-depth exchanges and collaboration between enterprises and institutions from both nations. Prospects for cooperation in the cultural and arts education fields were especially highlighted.
Penny Jin, founder of iStage Asia, was invited to attend this reception, which not only demonstrated the important achievements that iStage has made in promoting UK-China cultural exchange, but also underlined its influence in the international performing arts sector. At the event, Ms. Jin engaged in extensive discussions with guests from various sectors, exploring future cooperation opportunities.
iStage Asia consists of iStage Academy, Aishen Culture and iStage Education. iStage Academy specialises in performing arts education, and has gained a wide recognition for its outstanding work in musical theatre and drama education. Aishen Culture focuses on the cultural and creative industry, promoting international cultural exchange, and producing high-quality original plays and musical theatre productions. iStage Education is dedicated to K12 global education and exchange, leading students on an unforgettable journey of learning, discovery, and growth. Being invited to participate in this event is not only a recognition of iStage’s contributions to arts education and cultural exchange, but it also highlights the growing potential of cooperation between arts education institutions and enterprises, in cultivating the next generation of artistic talents in a global context. In his speech, David Lammy further emphasised that the UK and China should deepen their exchanges and cooperation in culture and education. He called for stronger enterprise collaboration and involvement to stimulate innovation and development in the arts education sector.
