China business

Benelux Gala in Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

 

A remarkable restart

The Benelux Gala in Beijing was held in Chao Hotel on 14 June 2005, officially called “A Night in the Benelux” and organized by the Benelux Chamber of Commerce North. Over 150 guests enjoyed a great evening of entertainment, food, Luxembourg wine and mingling.
Some of the VIP guests:
H.E. Bruno Angelet, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, H.E. Rol Reiland, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Huub Buise, Minister-Counselor for Economy and Trade of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and Karel Eloot, President of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Three outstanding community leaders (one from each Benelux country) were presented an award, and yes one for myself, presented by our Belgian Ambassador and the President of the Chamber – much appreciated for the honor.
An Event Recap –  A Night in the Benelux – can be viewed of this link.
Here a PDF of the Recap: 250614 250614 Benchamrecap

A new chapter

The Benelux Gala in Beijing is the second event organized by the Bencham (as we still call it), after the General Assembly that elected a new board. Members: President Antoine Bruneel, Vice Presidents Koen Naber and Pierre Mirochnikoff, Treasurer Grace Shi, and Secretary Romuald Bronchart.

See the full team in the pictures.

A drink was held in Beijing East Hotel on 26 May where Antoine and Pierre were interviewed.

 

The Gala

See a selection of the many pictures of the Benelux Gala in Beijing, with Belgian beers, special juice and handicraft boxes from the sponsors.

I invited my two video girls to shoot some video and pictures.
The quiz used some of my food videos.
Also pictured are Didier Denayer, AWEX, Audrey Fouillard, Proviseure Lycée Français, Rotarians Didier, Tom and Magnus. And many others…
A short personal souvenir video: Beijing Bencham Ball
On 14 June 2025 great Benelux Chamber of Commerce Ball in Beijing Chao Hotel.

 

Yves Leterme in Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

 

Promoting Belgium

On 13 June 2025 I had the honor to have dinner with Yves Leterme in Beijing. He is the former Prime Minister from Belgium.
The dinner was organized for a group of diverse Chinese business people, to promote Belgium as a potential location to invest and as a trade partner. It is important a country as Belgium maintains contact with the Chinese business world. Event was organized by the Alliance of Enterprises Leadership (AEL).

The dinner was organized in this high-end restaurant: Baijiada Yuan (白家大院), not very far from Beijing University. See here a review of the restaurant.
Their website does not work anymore: www.baijiadayuan.cn.
This was once the home of Prince Li in the Qing Dynasty (清太祖努尔哈赤儿子礼亲王).

250613 Leterme.mov

Short video on Douyin done by a participant

My friend Lydia arranged my participation and helped for the translation of my short speech.
Besides the special Beijing dishes we had a dance and music performance. We also tasted a special Chinese liquor (“baijiu”).
Mr. Leterme has made several trips to China. His tour includes other cities such as Wuhan, Xian, Chengdu, Zhoukou (Henan) and the Jiangsu Week of Grand Canal Culture.
He also has dined in Morel’s Restaurant at the time of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, his picture is on the wall with former ambassador Bernard Pierre and Renaat Morel.
I had a chance to chat with Mr. Leterme and introduce my “China Story”.

About Mr. Leterme

Yves Leterme is a Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party (CD&V). He was the prime minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008, and later from November 2009 to December 2011.
Leterme has also served as minister of Foreign Affairs, deputy prime minister and minister of Budget, Institutional Reforms, Transport and the North Sea in the Belgian federal government. He is a former minister-president of Flanders and Flemish minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. Despite his French name, Leterme is Flemish. He is fluent in Dutch, French and English.
Yves Leterme was born on 6 October 1960 in the city of Wervik in the province of West Flanders. He is half-Walloon, and grew up fluently bilingual. He studied law at the Catholic University of Leuven where he received a LL.B. degree (Bachelor of Laws) in 1981 and then studied at Ghent University where he obtained a BSc degree in Political Science (1983), a LL.M. degree (Master of Laws) (1984), and a MPA degree (Master of Public Administration) in 1985.
Yves Leterme was born on 6 October 1960 in the city of Wervik in the province of West Flanders. He is half-Walloon, and grew up fluently bilingual. He studied law at the Catholic University of Leuven where he received a LL.B. degree in 1981 and then studied at Ghent University where he obtained a BSc degree in Political Science (1983), a LL.M. degree (1984), and a MPA degree in 1985.
In 2019, Leterme became co-chairman of the board of directors of the Chinese investment fund ToJoy. The appointment was criticized by international relations professor Jonathan Holslag, citing the close relations between ToJoy and the Chinese political establishment. (Note: Jonathan Holslag is well-known to be strongly anti-China…)

Source: Wikipedia

 

 

ARAMITH an unprofessional company

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Zero answers

ARAMITH an unprofessional company that ignores any contact. Much like SOCIETE TRANSVINS , see my previous post.
A Chinese friend asked me to contact this Belgian company on behalf of a potential buyer.
Aramith sells billiard balls; they are used for billiard, snooker, carambola. They are supposed to be a world leader. Maybe their business is too good so they don’t care to do anything.
Their contacts:

https://www.saluc.com/
https://www.aramith.com/
https://www.aramith100.com/fr/
To contact:  https://www.aramith.com/contact-us
Rue de Tournai, 2 – 7604 Callenelle – Belgique.

I know they received my email, see below the edited message. I had to confirm I was not spam and approved by Arthur Broudehoux of Saluc.

I informed AWEX. I will refrain from commenting on their follow-up, although they finally informed me ARAMITH does have a local representative, supposedly also difficult to contact. So why did ARAMITH not reply with that simple information?
The attitude of that Walloon company is deplorable and totally unprofessional.
It will teach me, to never try to help exports from companies from Belgium, France and others. Even considering I do it as a goodwill gesture. So, don’t ask for help. I would rather help a Chinese company.

My email

Subject: ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball
11 February 2025
To: contact@aramith100.comSaluc
CC: info@saluc.com
Monsieur, Madame,
CC: Economy, Commerce, and Technology for the Walloon Region, Embassy of Belgium in Beijing AWEX
Je suis Gilbert Van Kerckhove, belge et résident de longue date à Beijing.
Une dame m’a demandé d’aider une société chinoise de vous contacter. Je crois ils ont essayé mais ils ont mal formulé leur message.
J’ai expliqué en détail vos produits et votre site Internet.
La société “666 Billards Club”  a le siège au Fujian et a un chiffre d’affaires de 120 millions de RMB … (introduction de la société)
Après analyse de vos produits ils sont intéresses dans vos “ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology”.

Leur plan est d’acheter 10.000 à 20.000 sets de 16 boules avec une première commande de 5.000 sets.
Avez-vous un distributeur en Chine? Si non ils sont intéresses dans le futur de devenir distributeur.
Nous souhaitons établir un contact direct avec votre société pour:
– communication avec la personne en charge
– vos possibilités de livraison
– prix, conditions de vente et paiement.
Une fois le contact établi je ne serai plus dans la discussion,
Dans l’attente de votre réponse,
Bien à vous,
Gilbert à Beijing

Snooker is big in China

Snooker’s popularity has boomed in China in the 21st century. It has been estimated that 50 million people play the sport, up to 350 million watch it and China has 300,000 snooker halls.

Ad on a Beijing street for a snooker hall

Rising Local Talent
Ding Junhui, who became a snooker star in the mid-2000s, is widely credited with sparking a snooker boom in China. His success on the international stage inspired many young Chinese players and fans. Other rising Chinese stars like Zhao Xintong (now world champion!), Yan Bingtao, and Zhou Yuelong have kept interest strong.
Snooker enjoys extensive TV coverage in China, often airing on major sports networks like CCTV-5. Major tournaments are broadcast live, drawing millions of viewers.
The establishment of snooker academies and training centers, such as the World Snooker Academy’s branch in Chengdu, has provided structured pathways for talent development.
Cultural Alignment: Snooker’s emphasis on strategy, precision, and discipline resonates with Chinese cultural values, further cementing its appeal.

SOCIETE TRANSVINS sells fake Languedoc

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

 

Fake Languedoc

SOCIETE TRANSVINS sells fake Languedoc in China?
Chinese friends gave us a very nice (and expensive) box with a bottle of red wine from France, Languedoc.
We were immediately a bit suspicious about the name: “Dragon Boat Sait”. Or is it Sail…
There was also another obvious spelling mistake.
We tried the wine in Beijing, two wine specialist said it was a fake, poor quality Chinese wine. Not drinkable. We then had a real Languedoc, as a test of what a real Languedoc wine is.

See the fake Languedoc, a real Languedoc and the contact form on the French website.

Fake French company?

A google led to:

SAS, société par actions simplifiée
SOCIETE TRANSVINS
20 CHEMIN DES PRES, 30260 VIC-LE-FESQ
https://transvins.fr/
contact@transvins.fr

I checked the website and tried in many ways to fill out the contact form, address in Beijing, address in Brussels. I never succeeded, it was said there was something missing… Obviously they don’t want you contact them.

I sent the email below, sent from different email addresses. They were all returned as “rejected”.
I contacted their LinkedIn site. Zero answer.
So the company has zero customer service. What a shame.
Sadly many European companies have non-existing customer service.
That gives Chinese companies an open road to whatever copy they can make.
Sadly I had also bad experience with a Belgian company. I post later.

My email

Subject: Votre soi-disant Languedoc
9 April 2025
To: contact@transvins.fr
SOCIETE TRANSVINS
Bonjour,
Des amis chinois nous ont fait cadeau de ce vin dans une très belle boite (probablement chère). Le nom nous semblait suspect…
Nous avons goutté le vin avec deux spécialistes de vin, ici à Beijing.
Leur verdict: pas buvable, pas de Languedoc. Vin chinois de qualité très douteuse.
Voir les photos. Les étiquettes semblent “OK” mais il y a une belle faute d’orthographe,,,
Nous pensons donc une  arnaque à la Chinoise.
La bouteille est chez nous, ma femme pense l’utiliser pour faire la cuisine.
Pour nous faire plaisir on a pu boire un vrai Languedoc…
Vos commentaires?
Bien à vous,

 

Sun Bingwen, Zhu De and Liu Ding

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Statues near the river side

In a previous post I mentioned the history of Zhu De and Sun Bingwen. On 21 March 2024 a ceremony was held honoring the legacies of Sun Bingwen, Zhu De and Liu Ding. Two groups of statues are located on the river side at Nanxi City.

One location is with the statues of Zhu De and Sun Bingwen, the other is the statue of Liu Ding.
Sun Bin, as the granddaughter of Sun Bingwen and myself paid respect to the grandfather.
Liu Wenshi and Liu Wenshan, sons of Liu Ding the “military industry leader and united front hero” paid respect to their father.

The museums

We visted the Nanxi Museum and then the old residence of Zhu De in Nanxi.
Some of the pictures in the museum were donated by Sun Bin. Pictures feature Zhu De, Sun Bingwen. Sun Yang and Sun Weishi.

When we left the former residence, three young pioneers greeted Sun Bin, Liu Wenshi and Liu Wenshan.
Near the museum I spotted some interesting mural decorations…

Who is Liu Ding

Liu Ding (1902 – 1986) was a native of Nanxi, an older generation revolutionary activist of the Communist Party of China, a loyal communist fighter, and a famous military industrialist. He was an expert in the machinery industry, the founder and outstanding leader of my country’s military industry, and the first president of North China University. He is known as the dean of China’s military industry. In 1924, he joined the Communist Party of China after being introduced by Sun Bingwen and Zhu De. In 1924, he went to Germany for a work-study program and served as secretary of the Youth League branch in Germany. In 1926, he went to the Soviet Union for further study. Graduated from Moscow Oriental University in 1928. In 1929, he was transferred back to China and served as deputy section chief of the Second Section of the Special Section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. He has been engaged in underground intelligence work for a long time and made great contributions in the Xi’an Incident.

In 1952, in order to prepare for the trial production of standardized weapons he established a number of basic research institutes to serve the ordnance industry. They are the earliest technological research institutions established in New China.
His background in Chinese can be found here.
See here a transcript of the information in Chinese with partial translation: LiuDing_bio

A forest with Taxus Chinensis

On 22 March 2024 we crossed the Yabgtze River and went up to a mountain to check on the culture of a special plant called Taxus Chinensis, also called Chinese Yew.
In our delegation some participants are interested in the plant, used to produce medicines for cancer treatment, including Paclitaxel and Taxifolin. It can also be used in many other ways and is protected under Chinese and international law. Currently, the species is suffering the consequences of its economic and scientific exploitation for the production of the aforementioned anticancer drugs.

See more here: Taxus chinensis

We had a lunch with very local food on the mountain top.