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At a networking reception held at the Shaw Tower in downtown Vancouver just one week before her trip to China and India, B.C. Premier Christy Clark addressed the crowd who gathered at the by-invitation only function on Oct 27, 2011 that the provincial government is focusing on Asia and aims to spur more trade opportunities in the Asia Pacific area and create more jobs for British Columbia.

The Premier described Vancouver as an Asian city outside of Asia and that struck an approving note among the crowd of about 50 top business leaders eager to do business in Asia. That is not surprising at all, noting that Chinese, South Asians, East Asians and South-east Asians make up more than half of the population of the city of Vancouver.

Premier Clark’s address last night reflects the same sentiment that the new Federal Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Edward Fast has expressed a few weeks ago just before he and a Canadian delegation left to visit China on a trade mission.

Asia is where you need to be in global trade and future growth.

And in Asia, business moves at lightning speed. Curtis Mearns of ExoTurbine who is going to Asia with the Premier in the upcoming November trip learned that quickly first-hand. Mearns actually found a potential partner from Guangdong, China interested in signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with his green renewable energy company right on the 17th floor of the Shaw Tower shortly after Premier Clark’s pep talk.

Vancouver, Gateway to the Asia Pacific. View from the 17th floor of The Shaw Tower where Premier Clark spoke last night.

The Shaw Tower – 1077 Cordova Street, Vancouver BC

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On October 24, 2011, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson’s party had what was dubbed as the Vision Vancouver Time Raiser, a free event for members of the party to gather together at the Waldorf Hotel where a silent auction was being held. Volunteers bid their time with Vision Vancouver for items donated by the Vancouver’s art and culture community such as dance lessons, paintings, screen-printing workshop etc.






































Waldorf Hotel , 1489 East Hastings, Vancouver BC

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At the invitation of the Vancouver Chinese Cultural Festival 2011 (Oct. 21-23, 2011), the China Guangzhou Ballet Troupe 广州芭蕾舞团 travelled to Vancouver to perform at The Centre and the River Rock Show Theatre a number of acts including Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Swan Lake Ballet Tchaikovsky 天鹅湖, Don Quixote by Marius Petipa and Shanbo Liang and Tingtai Zhu (The Butterfly Lovers) which is a very famous southern China folklore. In ballet form, all of the performances featured storytelling through choreography, movement, gesture, music, lighting and imaginative mise-en-scene. Not a single word was spoken and no translation necessary either.

The ‘East Meets West’ cultural exchange festival was organized by the Association of Chinese Cultural Foundation – Canada and APCEO Canada and had the support of the Chinese government (via its Embassy & Consulate General) and all levels (federal, BC provincial and city) of the Canadian government.

VIDEO – Swan Lake, Guangzhou Ballet Troupe at The Centre in Vancouver

The Centre, 777 Homer Street, Vancouver BC

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The Guangzhou Ballet Troupe 广州芭蕾舞团 travelled to western Canada to perform at The Centre as part of the Vancouver Chinese Cultural Festival 2011 温哥华中国文化 (Oct. 21-23, 2011). More than 30 dancers took part in presenting a variety of ballet acts including Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Don Quixote by Marius Petipa etc. Most notably, the last act of the evening was The Butterfly Lovers 梁山伯与祝英台 Shanbo Liang and Tingtai Zhu. It is a very famous southern China folk lore. A Romeo and Juliet story for the Chinese audience. In ballet form, the storytelling is through choreography, movement, gesture, music, lighting and imaginative mise-en-scene. Not a single word was spoken. No translation necessary either. Quite a performance. The ‘East Meets West’ cultural exchange festival was organized by the Association of Chinese Cultural Foundation – Canada and APCEO Canada and had the support of the Chinese government (via its Embassy & Consulate General) and all levels (federal, BC provincial and city) of the Canadian government.

VIDEO – The Butterfly Lovers, China Guangzhou Ballet Troupe

The Centre – 777 Homer Street, Vancouver BC

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The Guangzhou Ballet Troupe travelled to western Canada to perform at The Centre as part of the Vancouver Chinese Cultural Festival 2011 (Oct. 21-23, 2011). More than 30 dancers took part in presenting a variety of ballet acts including Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Don Quixote by Marius Petipa etc. Most notably, the last act of the evening was Shanbo Liang and Tingtai Zhu (The Butterfly Lovers). It is a very famous southern China folk lore. A Romeo and Juliet story for the Chinese audience. In ballet form, the storytelling is through choreography, movement, gesture, music, lighting and imaginative mise-en-scene. Not a single word was spoken. No translation necessary either. Quite a performance. The ‘East Meets West’ cultural exchange festival was organized by the Association of Chinese Cultural Foundation – Canada and APCEO Canada and had the support of the Chinese government (via its Embassy & Consulate General) and all levels (federal, BC provincial and city) of the Canadian government.

[Photos by Ray Van Eng, V21 Media]
































The Centre, Vancouver Canada

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Canadian experimental pop band Behind Sapphire performed at the closing ceremony of the 2011 Hangzhou Fashion Week being held at the West Lake Cultural Square on Sep. 26, 2011. The mini-concert during which Behind Sapphire sang two songs was recorded by HangZhou TV station which was later broadcasted to reach an audience of 100 million in the area. The Vancouver-based band was part of the musical act which also included Isis Salam who were invited to joined the month-long 2011 World Music Fashion Festival China tour that concluded in late September, 2011. WMFF was organized by Empress Media who brought together an international team of fashion designers including Paul Hardy, Juma, Evan Biddell, Arido Jewelry & Kyuin Chae from the U.S., Canada and France.

Behind Sapphire in Hangzhou

Hangzhou, China

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To showcase his clothing collection, premiere Canadian fashion designer Paul Hardy had his models strolled leisurely around the 100-meter wide stage at the closing ceremony of the 2011 Hangzhou Fashion Week held at the West Lake Cultural Square on Sep. 26, 2011. Also appearing in the same event were designers Juma, Evan Biddell, Fala Chien, Arido Jewelry & Kyuin Chae as part of the 2011 World Music Fashion Festival (WMFF) organized by Empress Media of Vancouver. Musical groups Isis Salam and Beyond Sapphire were also invited to perform in five Chinese cities during the month-long tour that concluded in Hangzhou, China.

Paul Hardy in Hangzhou


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Taiwanese-Canadian fashion designer Fala By Fala Chien & U.S.-based Arido Jewelry paired up and wowed the audience at the closing ceremony of the 2011 Hangzhou Fashion Week being held at the West Lake Cultural Square on Sep. 26, 2011. Both Fala Chien and Arido Jewelry were participants of the 2011 World Music Fashion Festival (WMFF) organized by Empress Media of Vancouver. WMFF brought together an international team of fashion designers including Paul Hardy, Juma, Evan Biddell, Arido Jewelry & Kyuin Chae from the U.S., Canada and France. Musical groups Isis Salam and Behind Sapphire were also invited to perform in five Chinese cities during the month-long tour that ended in September 2011.

VIDEO – Fala Chien & Arido at Hangzhou Fashion Week Closing Ceremony

Hangzhou, China

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Because the Neijiang, China venue was a theatre with a conventional stage and not a runway, Canadian fashion designer Evan Biddell arranged to have his models stroll across the stage while images that suggested an apocalyptic future of an industrialized city (coincidentally, Neijiang being a vibrant example of that) were rear-projected onto the screen. It certainly was a novel way to present a fashion show especially deep inside China in a place like Neijiang, Sichuan, China. The two-night engagement was arranged by the government so the local populace can learn more about western culture, fashion and music. Biddell was one six designers on the World Music Fashion Festival (WMFF) tour which also included Paul Hardy, Kyuin Chae, Fala Chien, Juma and Arido Jewelry. Musicians such as Isis Salam, Behind Sapphire and Ashley Hynes also performed.

Evan Biddell Fashion Show in Neijiang, China

Neijiang, China

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The Honorable Ed Fast, Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, was in a Richmond BC Chinese restaurant on October 07, 2011 just prior to his visit to China on the same day. He talked about his trade mission and how the two countries could benefit each other by having a closer trade and people ties. Mr. Fast highlighted nuclear power, natural resources, aerospace and infrastructure as areas that Canada excels that can help China in sustaining growth. He also cited Forbes magazine’s analysis that Canada is the best country in the world to do business right now.

VIDEO – Minister Fast China Trade Talk

Richmond, BC

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