Joshua talks about student life in China
The fifth issue of the ABCF annual magazine Exchanges has been issue at the link in the title above, where you may read and download a copy of the magazine. Copies will shortly be available on the ABCF website. The cover story is Joshua Johnson’s reflection on life in China. Other articles include stories of Barbadian pilots employed by Air Macau and the Cho family, who have reestablished connections in China, the Caribbean and Canada; articles on the Chinese-funded Hope agricultural institute under construction in St Lucy, cashless payments in China, Chinese cars in Barbados, the Confucius Institute at Cave Hill, the practice of Chinese Traditional Medicine in Barbados and the gaokao, the Chinese university entrance exam. There are also articles on snapshots of life and opinion in China, drawn from recent stories in the weekly ABCF Update, an on useful sources of information, opinion and news from within China, available in English.
Loved ones, colleagues and online users hail the courage of Ho Wai-ho, who died battling the city’s deadliest blaze in seven decades.
Pride mingled with grief as the family and loved ones of the Hong Kong firefighter who died while battling Wednesday’s disastrous high-rise inferno shared their feelings of tragic loss.
The girlfriend of the deceased firefighter, Ho Wai-ho, posted a heartfelt message on social media on Thursday, revealing her grief and longing for her boyfriend.
“I really, really want to be able to hold your hand again,” she wrote, adding that she “could not accept” what had happened and wished to “take a break” from the internet.
‘It used to be great’: suit maker recounts rise and fall of Hong Kong tailoring industry | South China Morning Post
With more than six decades of experience, veteran tailor Benny Woo has dressed some of Hong Kong’s most prominent figures, including tycoon Li Ka-shing and Cantopop star Andy Lau Tak-wah.
The 77-year-old, who has decided to close his eponymous street-level shop in Sheung Wan by the end of the month, has also witnessed how the city’s once-booming, world-famous tailoring industry has gradually waned amid changing fashion trends and disappearing shoppers.
“Business used to be great. Managerial staff at big international companies would always wear suits. But that is no longer the case after the pandemic. Even if my current rent drops by tens of thousands of dollars, I still would not survive,” he said, having been at the current shop for about two years.
What do Chinese people think of the US? How has the sentiment changed over the last 10–15 years?
Robert: I’ve previously written that there are at least “two Chinas.” About 10% of the population comprises urbanites or a more liberal-leaning China, while the vast majority, around 90%, could be described as “traditionalists”. Their views of the US differ significantly and have also evolved over time.
The traditionalist China views the US quite consistently, in my observation. They see it as the world’s number one superpower but believe it consistently intends to keep China in check….
The more liberal-leaning China, the part of China you will most likely have a deep conversation with, once held a very different view, but this has changed dramatically over the past 10 to 15 years. Around 15 years ago, this group, including myself, had an overwhelmingly positive view of the US, seeing it as a shining example of all that is good in the world, often overlooking its internal imbalances and external problems. However, in recent years, especially since Trump, many within this group have experienced a significant shift in perspective. While I’m unsure if more than half have been converted, this conversion is undoubtedly underway.
There’s also a fascinating generational divide among the liberal-leaning Chinese. Those born in the 60s and 70s tend to admire and embrace America more than younger generations do. …
Li Minyong, a prominent medicinal chemist and a fellow of multiple international research societies, died on November 16 at the age of 49.
His sudden death marks China’s latest loss of a leading scientist at the height of their research career.
Li, a professor and deputy dean of the school of pharmaceutical sciences at Hainan University, dedicated himself to pioneering drug discovery through light-controlled and bioactive visualisation technologies.
CATL's Robin Zeng: No. 1 in batteries, not yet respected
CEO of world’s largest battery maker argues that winning the numbers game is not enough, urging for quality, IP protection and long-termism.
China now produces over three-quarters of batteries sold globally, far more than any other country. Yet Robin Zeng, founder, chairman, and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), the world’s largest battery maker, sounds a distinctly less triumphant.
At an industry forum in Shenzhen, he rebuked Chinese peers for homogeneous products, thin R&D, and a race to the bottom in prices at home and abroad, warning that “simply expanding capacity and earning a bit more money” could leave China’s battery sector both uncompetitive and unable to shoulder its part in the energy transition over the next 15 years. China’s battery industry, he argued, must graduate from being number one in volume to a “version 2.0” that wins something it still lacks: the world’s respect.
2026 Chinese Government Scholarships Ready for Applications
The Chinese embassy has issued the announcement of scholarship applications for students interested in study in China beginning in 2026. The ABCF and the Barbados-China Returned Students Association now have a resource group of current and past students who are able to assist you with the application process, and with all aspects of preparation for study in China. If you are considering study in China, we would be happy to hear from you, by email or by WhatsApp at 1 246 288 1356. You may also reach us via the Contact page on our website.
This weekly newsletter is put together by DeLisle Worrell, President of the ABCF. Visit us at Association for Barbados China Friendship | (abcf-bb.com).
Thanks to everyone who sent contributions for this week’s Update. Please send items of interest to me via the contact page at ABCF-BB.com or to info@DeLisleWorrell.com
The ABCF mission is to build a deeper understanding between the Chinese people and Barbadians and Caribbean people from all walks of life. The association’s focus is on personal experiences, people-to-people contact, cultural exchanges and exchanges of ideas, and the facilitation of travel, business and study. From the outset we aim to learn from and build on the experiences of the Caribbean and China, and to develop mutual understandings and support that will be to the benefit of both sides.
