The appointment of Professor Chen marks an important next step in realising that vision. As part of the University’s Challenge Accepted campaign, this support demonstrates how a global community of supporters is coming together to create opportunity, drive discovery and build a fairer future - enabling us to attract world-leading academics like Professor Chen and strengthen initiatives such as the Manchester China Institute for the benefit of society.

Professor Chen is an internationally recognised scholar specialising in comparative law, Chinese law and international dispute resolution. His research spans comparative private law, transnational commercial dispute resolution, and Chinese legal and regulatory development, positioning him among leading global experts in his field.

He was elected an Ordinary Member of Academia Europaea in 2026 and is also an Ordinary Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, as well as a Titular Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. He has published extensively and serves on the editorial boards of several leading international law journals.

Professor Chen is an experienced international arbitrator and mediator, having acted in proceedings administered by major arbitral institutions worldwide. He currently serves as an International Commercial Expert Committee Member of the Supreme People’s Court of China and has been called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple.

Welcoming the appointment, Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities said:

Professor Chen said:

The invited students came from across UoM and are studying a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD degree programmes. The Lord Mayor extended a warm welcome to the group, recognising their contribution to the city’s vibrant student community and the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding between students from different cultural and academic backgrounds.

The event provided a valuable opportunity for Friendship Programme students to share their experiences of studying and living in Manchester, as well as to take part in direct conversation with the Lord Mayor. While enjoying afternoon tea together, students also learned more about the role of the City Council and how local democracy works in Manchester. The welcoming atmosphere encouraged open discussion and reflection on student life in Manchester.

Launched in 2021, the Friendship Programme is an initiative designed to enrich the student experience by supporting intercultural communication and meaningful connections on campus. The programme has been widely recognised for its impact and quality and was highly commended for Outstanding Professional Services for Social Responsibility at the University of Manchester’s Making a Difference Awards 2025.

Initiatives such as the Friendship Programme reflects UoM’s ongoing efforts and MCI’s commitment to enhance students’ sense of belonging, support their development, and help them engage with the wider Manchester community.

The Lord Mayor of Manchester commented:

Ms Yannan Yu, Institute Manager at the MCI, commented:

For many participants, meeting the Lord Mayor was a memorable highlight of their experience on the Friendship Programme. Boshi Liu, a Quantitative Finance student at the University of Manchester, said:

Over the course of the conference, participants explored how nearly fifty years of rapid economic reform have lifted millions out of poverty while simultaneously generating deep and complex forms of inequality. Through a series of keynote lectures, panel discussions, and research presentations, experts highlighted the economic, political, and social mechanisms that shape disparities across regions, sectors, and demographic groups. 

A major feature of the event was the presentation of new findings from the China Household Income Project (CHIP), one of the world’s most comprehensive datasets on income distribution. Many core members of the CHIP research team shared cutting‑edge analyses on poverty reduction, employment quality, rural–urban divisions, and long‑term inequality trends—offering valuable insights for future research and policy design. 

The conference also fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together specialists in economics, politics, sociology, public policy, and development studies. These exchanges sparked new research directions and strengthened networks dedicated to understanding and addressing inequality in China and beyond. Delegates emphasised that such cross‑disciplinary dialogue is essential for developing effective and evidence‑based solutions. 

Organisers hailed the event as a vital platform for advancing global discussions on inequality. By convening experts from China, the UK, Europe, and North America, the conference not only deepened academic understanding but also contributed to broader societal debates on how best to promote inclusive growth, social mobility, and fairer economic systems. 

The conference organisers extend their thanks to all speakers, contributors, and attendees, whose engagement and expertise made the conference a major success. Plans for future collaborative initiatives and follow‑up research activities are already underway.

The Manchester China Institute’s (MCI) Postgraduate (PGR) Workshops in China Studies have kicked off the new semester with a renewed leadership team and an ambitious schedule for the months ahead.

On Monday, 26 January, the workshop organisers held their first strategic meeting of the term to finalise the programme of eight spring workshops. The meeting marked a significant moment of transition for the organising committee, as the team welcomed a fresh face while celebrating the contributions of long-standing members.

Yeqi Jin, a second-year PhD candidate in Politics in the School of Social Sciences (SoSS), has officially joined the leadership team. Her appointment coincides with the departure of Chengzhi Zhang, a fourth-year PhD candidate in Politics, who is stepping down after more than two years of dedicated service to the programme.

Reflecting on his tenure, Chengzhi Zhang commented on the growth of the initiative:

“Over the past two years, it has been an honour to help organise so many fascinating workshops. I have witnessed the workshops continuously improve in both quality and quantity, developing into an influential activity that makes a genuine contribution to China studies. I have always been moved by the diversity of topics, the friendly and supportive atmosphere, and the solidarity among researchers. Participating in such a meaningful initiative is undoubtedly one of the proudest achievements of my doctoral journey.”

The weekly workshops were originally established in 2019 by Dr Tao Wang (then a Postdoctoral Fellow) to provide doctoral researchers with a platform to present their work and receive constructive feedback. Since then, the sessions have become a cornerstone of MCI’s academic calendar, bringing together staff and students from across the Humanities to foster a diverse and inclusive research environment for China studies.

The initiative has seen a surge in interest in recent years, receiving nearly 100 PGR presentation proposals annually and attracting over 500 cumulative attendees per academic year.

Yixiao Zhang of the leadership team highlighted the collaborative nature of the role:

"It has been my pleasure to serve as a convenor of the MCI PGR Workshop over the past half year. Through this role, I have had the opportunity to work closely with team members and contribute to building a supportive and collaborative early-career China studies community. This experience has been both rewarding

and enriching, and I am grateful for the trust, engagement, and shared efforts of everyone involved."

The new leadership team now consists of four doctoral researchers: Yixiao Zhang (SoSS), Yuhao Ren (SEED), Jingjing Huang (SoSS), and the newly appointed Yeqi Jin (SoSS).

Speaking on her appointment, Yeqi Jin said:

“It is a great honour to join the MCI PGR workshop leadership team. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Institute and the team. I look forward to contributing to the Institute's academic and intellectual activities, and to learning from the diverse perspectives and expertise within the MCI community.”

The new team is committed to continuing the workshop's legacy, aiming to curate high-quality seminars that benefit early-career scholars at the University of Manchester and the broader China studies community.

Ambassador Wilson thanked the He’nan University of Technology for hosting the exhibition and spoke glowingly of the Manchester China Institute as a truly remarkable beacon of excellence for its work promoting China studies in the UK, and mutual understanding between the British and Chinese peoples. He also spoke highly of the exhibition, emphasizing its ability to showcase the universal values of sportsmanship and teamwork that resonate across cultures.

Joining the event virtually, Professor Peter Gries, Director of the Manchester China Institute, delivered a speech in Mandarin to introduce the exhibition and the Institute’s vision. He highlighted how photographs can promote perspective taking and empathy, bridging linguistic and cultural divides, to remind Chinese and British audiences alike of our common humanity.

Other distinguished guests present at the opening ceremony included Professor Wu Zhishen, President and Vice Chancellor of He’nan University of Technology, Mr Dominic McAllister, the British Consul General in Wuhan, senior officials from the He’nan provincial government and Zhengzhou municipal government, underscoring the significance of this cultural event.

“The Spirit of Sports” exhibition uses the universal language of sports to promote dialogue and understanding between the peoples of Britain and China. Through powerful imagery, the exhibition celebrates shared human experiences—competition, collaboration, and resilience—while deepening appreciation of each other’s perspectives.

This initiative reflects the Manchester China Institute’s commitment to building meaningful connections through cultural exchange. The University of Manchester was the first - and remains the only - British university to set social responsibility as a core goal.

To combat such hate crimes, researchers at the Manchester China Institute (MCI) have been exploring racial stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination directed towards Chinese people.

In a 2021 article for Asian Survey, “Chinese Pride and European Prejudice: How Growing Resentment of China Cools Feelings toward Chinese in Europe”, MCI Director Peter Gries and his Czech colleague Richard Turcsányi drew on theories of prejudice and ideology to explore whether increasingly negative attitudes toward Chinese government policies during COVID prejudiced European views of local Chinese students, tourists, and communities. They found substantial evidence of a spillover effect, an effect which was stronger among conservative Europeans than among progressive Europeans more motivated to avoid prejudice. Peter discusses this research in a video interview here.

Years of hard work by Manchester China Institute postdoctoral researchers have more recently paid dividends, with three publications in top psychology and China studies journals in 2024-25.

In a 2024 British Journal of Social Psychology article, “Intersectional Race-Gender Stereotypes in Natural Language”, former MCI postdoc Bruce Bao and Peter Gries use AI and Big Data to explore how stereotypes about Asian and Black men and women are naturally expressed in real life. They found that Asian men (but not women) are stereotyped as less masculine and less moral/trustworthy than Black men. These emasculating stereotypes about Asian men (as low in physical strength) may have encouraged anger and opportunistic aggression against them during COVID. Bruce and Peter discuss their research on intersectional race-gender stereotypes in this video.

In a 2025 British Journal of Social Psychology article, “The White Gaze in Racial Stereotype Research: Sample Bias and its Consequences”, former MCI postdocs Cong Peng and Paton Yam and MCI Director Gries explored how its reliance upon White subjects biases existing research on racial stereotypes in social psychology. Combining insights from the Stereotype Content Model and Gendered-race Theory, they found both similarities and differences in how racial groups perceive each other. Asians were consistently seen as more competent but less athletic, while Blacks were seen as more athletic but less competent. Whites fell between these poles. But each group differed in viewing their own race as warmer than other races, suggesting ingroup favouritism. This research demonstrates that diverse racial samples are needed for a less Eurocentric and more accurate understanding of racial stereotypes.

Cong later wrote about the research:
 

Finally and most recently, in a 2025 China Quarterly research report, “Biases about Chinese People in English Language Use: Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination”, Bruce Bao & Peter Gries, again using AI and Big Data, explored the nature of attitudinal bias about Chinese people in the Anglophone world today. They found relative semantic associations between Chinese people and (1) cognitive stereotypes of low warmth (less moral/trustworthy and less sociable/friendly) and somewhat low competence (less assertive/dominant but equally capable/ intelligent); (2) affective prejudice of contempt (vs admiration); and (3) behavioural discrimination of active/passive harm (vs help/cooperation). These findings provide a social psychological framework for practitioners and policymakers to reduce anti-Chinese bias and hate crimes in the real world.

MCI advances research excellence in China studies across the Humanities at UoM. Impact and equality are central to MCI’s research mission. To foster socially responsible research with impact beyond academia, MCI champions knowledge production and exchange. And MCI seeks to create a more equal world, incubating research on racial, gender, economic, and other inequalities both within China and between China and the world.

In his address, Professor Ivison reflected on the breadth of impact across the University: 

The award-winning Student Friendship Programme was established in 2021 by the Manchester China Institute (MCI) in partnership with the Manchester China Forum. With nearly 9,000 Chinese students currently studying on campus, it seeks to enhance the student experience by fostering meaningful connections between home and international students.

Recognising the social and cultural separation that can exist between student groups, the programme promotes cross-cultural understanding through intercultural events, wellbeing sessions, and community engagement initiatives. In doing so, it addresses broader issues of cultural, racial, and political divides, contributing significantly to the University’s strategic goals around inclusion and global engagement.

The success of the Student Friendship Programme is a credit to the dedication of its organising team: Lorelei Baciu, Yannan Yu, Nasira Asghar, Jake Ruding, Sol Stappard, Halia Zhang, Prof. Peter Gries, and Yunyang Xia, who collaborate to constantly improve the scheme and deliver high-quality events for our students.

The ceremony was live streamed on YouTube, and you can watch the full event online. Our team’s recognition can be viewed between 01:06:50 and 01:08:10 of the recording. Similarly, a full list of all the winners and highly commended entrants is available on the University’s Social Responsibility website.

The article, published in The History of the Family, employs an oral history methodology to examine how the pandemic affected caterers’ businesses and personal lives.

Drawing from rich first-hand narratives, Dr Zhou argues that British Chinese caterers faced a dual crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic: 

1. Economic,
2. Operational (shifting to takeaway and online services due to lockdown restrictions).

They also suffered emotional distress stemming from a surge in anti-Chinese racism. In response to COVID-19 restrictions and rising operational costs, Chinese caterers demonstrated resilience by utilising transnational ties and by raising food prices. The oral histories captured their frustration with the government’s handling of the pandemic, underscoring the broader inequalities experienced by ethnic minorities during the pandemic.

Dr Zhou's longstanding interest in British Chinese history underpins her research. She holds a PhD in Contemporary British History from King’s College London, with a dissertation focused on how Chinese migrant women shaped the British Chinese community through their migration, labour, caregiving and community engagement in post-war Britain. Her current research at MCI continues this trajectory, examining the interplay between state intervention, municipal politics and Chinese grassroots activism in 1980s Britain.

The COVID-19 pandemic broke out during Sha’s final doctoral year, triggering a global surge in anti-Chinese hostility. Witnessing this unfold in real time made Dr Zhou feel a strong sense of responsibility towards documenting Chinese voices and experiences. She went on to volunteer for the Life in the Time of Corona project initiated by the Ming Ai Institute in 2020-21. In 2022, drawing on interviews of this project, Sha presented a paper on the experiences of Chinese caterers in Britain at the International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas conference, which inspired the current article. Dr Zhou’s overarching aim is to demonstrate that contemporary racial prejudices are not isolated phenomena but connected to long-standing narratives and stereotypes that have evolved over time.

The study employs a qualitative approach, combining oral history interviews with analysis of government reports and media coverage. This methodology enabled Dr Zhou to explore how Chinese caterers experienced the pandemic not only as a public health and economic crisis, but also as a racialised event. Integrating personal narratives with documentary sources offered a multidimensional understanding of how racialised assumptions shape responses to crisis in Britain. Ultimately, the article highlights the urgency of documenting everyday pandemic experiences and challenges the notion that anti-Chinese racism is an isolated incident.

Read the full open access article.

Explore the oral history project: Life in the Time of Corona. Launched by the Ming-Ai Institute in London, it features 50 interviews with members of the British Chinese community across gender, region, generation, and occupation.

Now on display in the AMBS foyer, the exhibition showcases 30 outstanding photographs, each accompanied by bilingual short stories that provide personal context and cultural depth, centred around this year’s theme: The Spirit of Sports.

The competition attracted several hundred smartphone entries from residents of both the UK and China. The finalists and winners were selected by a judging panel comprised of:

• Rory Underwood – England Rugby Union legend (& British-Malay/Chinese).
• Xiaolu Guo – Award-winning British-Chinese author and filmmaker.
• Prof Michael Wood – Historian, broadcaster, and University of Manchester Professor.
• Krizia Li, MBA – Fonder & CEO at Vermillion: Asian art + design.
• Dr Zhang Hai – Research Director, Center for Visual Anthropology, Yunnan University.

The winning photos were unveiled at the launch event by MCI Research Director, Dr Xiaobing Wang, and Creative Manchester Director, Dr John McAuliffe. The awards went to:

• UK Winner (£500): Stephanie Cahill with ‘Running for Yia Yia’
• China Winner (£500): Liu Xiaoguang 刘小光 with ‘The Ceremony of Crossing the River’
• UK Runners-up (£200/each): Edyta Rice with ‘The Ascent of Determination’ and John Gorman with ‘Martin Perry – Para Team GB’
• China Runners-up (£200/each): Wu Zhou吴茁 with ‘Joyful Ice-Skating Rink’ and Zhang Lijun张利军 with ‘Village Volleyball Tournament’

Stephanie Cahill, the UK winner, attended the event in person and shared what the award meant to her and her daughters, who are featured in her winning photograph. Also, Liu Xiaoguang, the China winner, sent a heartfelt video message to express his gratitude.

MCI Director, Peter Gries, who has been involved in the competition since its inception seven years ago, noted:

The exhibition is open to visitors at AMBS until 1 June. It encourages people to vote for their favourite photo, either in-person or online. The photo receiving the highest number of votes will receive a special prize as part of our People’s Choice Award. 

View the photos and vote online.

MCI’s UK-China Travel Fund enabled Lorelei and Jennie to conduct fieldwork in China during the Summer of 2024, investigating the experiences of Chinese alumni and the lasting impact of their UoM student years. Both researchers are UoM alumni themselves: Lorelei, now the Engagement and External Relations Administrator at MCI, holds a First-Class BA in Social Sciences (Politics and Sociology), while Jennie, former Manchester-China Friendship Programme Lead (MCFP), has an MA in Educational Leadership with Distinction.

Together, they conducted in-person bilingual semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with UoM Chinese alumni from Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, and Xi’an. These in-depth qualitative conversations traced the impact of the UoM student journey, from enrolment through graduation and into the current lives of the alumni. 

Those interviewed varied in gender, degree subject, study level, graduation year, occupation, and location to increase representation across the Chinese alumni population. They also belonged to five UoM schools, and were mainly Master's and PhD graduates, reflecting typical Chinese study patterns in the UK. Graduation years ranged from 2015 to 2023, covering participants at different career stages, working across higher education, business management, arts and culture, sales, engineering, and hi-tech research.

Several key insights emerged regarding the alumni’s academic journeys, personal growth, career trajectories, and suggestions for institutional improvement (detailed here). Most participants were initially drawn to UoM for its global prestige and cultural ties to the UK. While they praised the academic quality and supportive teaching staff, many noted unmet expectations around cultural integration. The high concentration of Chinese students often led to self-segregation and missed opportunities to build meaningful relationships with local and international peers. 

One MA graduate in Intercultural Communications (2022-23), now an IELTS English Teacher in Xi’an shared: 

Despite these challenges, many developed valuable life skills and a greater sense of independence while at UoM, prompting shifts in their identity, worldview, and values. Participants felt empowered to express themselves more freely, challenging traditional Chinese norms and supporting new social causes. These experiences left lasting impressions, even as they returned to China (often due to immigration barriers and familial obligations). 

Several struggled to reconcile their more globalised perspectives with the expectations back home, particularly around gender roles, life milestones, and workplace behaviours. One PhD graduate in Engineering (2017-20), now Associate Professor at Central South University, noted:

Participants also offered constructive feedback for the University, calling for stronger intercultural engagement, career development tailored to international students, and deeper academic mentorship. One MSc graduate in Communication Engineering (2016-17), now working for Ericsson Beijing as a RF Verification Engineer shared: 

Beyond the classroom, participants recommended expanding initiatives like language-buddy schemes and more proactive use of Chinese social media. Their voices highlight both the transformative potential of a UoM education and the gaps still needing to be bridged for a truly inclusive student experience.

Beyond his outstanding rugby career, recognised with an MBE in 1992, Underwood also served 18 years in the Royal Air Force, achieving the rank of Flight Lieutenant and logging over 3,000 flying hours as a pilot. His diverse experiences and international background make him a valuable addition to the competition’s panel.

Joining Rory Underwood on the judging panel are:

• Xiaolu Guo - Award-winning British-Chinese author and filmmaker. 
• Prof Michael Wood - Historian, Broadcaster, and Public History Professor at The University of Manchester. 
• Krizia Li - Founder & CEO at Vermillion: Asian art + design, Hong Kong. 
• Dr Zhang Hai - Director of the Research Centre for Visual Anthropology, School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, China. 

Together, the five judges will evaluate submissions capturing “The Spirit of Sports,” selecting first the top 30 finalists and then the winners. The competition invites participants from across the UK and China to submit a smartphone photo that embodies this theme, accompanied by a short title and caption, for a chance to win exciting cash prizes of up to £500 and be featured in a Manchester and China-based exhibitions.

By exploring this theme, we hope that Chinese and British viewers of the photographs can see the world through each other’s eyes, fostering empathy and reducing prejudice. 

Submissions must be sent to us via email at competitions.mci@manchester.ac.uk  by Tuesday, 1 April 2025 and no professional photography skills are required.

The UK-China International Photography Competition was launched by The Manchester China Institute (MCI) and Creative Manchester in 2019. 

2025 marks the seventh annual contest, which is supported by the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures (SALC) of The University of Manchester and the Manchester Museum, as well as Yunnan University, Henan Technology University, and a wide range of partners both in the UK and China.

Inclusion and intercultural understanding are at the heart of our initiative. The Student Friendship Programme connects British, Chinese, and other international students on campus, creating opportunities for meaningful interactions and long-lasting friendships. Activities include exploring Manchester’s heritage sites, celebrating cultural festivals, sharing traditional cuisine, trying out new sports and other community-building initiatives.

Through these experiences, students gain valuable insights into each other’s cultures, fostering mutual understanding and a welcoming campus environment for all. A common stereotype about Chinese people in the Anglophone world is that they are smart but standoffish. In this view, they neither need nor deserve help. This attitude can lead to both passive neglect and the active exclusion of Chinese communities. 

MCI therefore works hard to create spaces where our Chinese students feel included. This is particularly important at a time when global tensions have led to an increase in anti-Asian prejudice and anti-Western sentiment, reinforcing the need for open dialogue and constructive intercultural interactions.

We are thrilled to have been shortlisted from over 130 entries submitted for the awards. The winners and highly commended entries will be announced at the Making a Difference Awards final on Thursday, 8 May, in Whitworth Hall. The event will be hosted by UoM President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Duncan Ivison and UoM Chancellor Nazir Afzal, and will be live streamed on YouTube starting at 6pm.  A full list of all the shortlisted entrants is available on the social responsibility website.

MCI’s Lorelei Baciu, who has coordinated the scheme for three consecutive years, said

Participants in the programme have shared their positive experiences. One British undergraduate student described it as:

Similarly, a Chinese postgraduate student reflected:

The 2025 Friendship Programme organising team consists of Lorelei Baciu, Yannan Yu, Nasira Asghar, Peter Gries, Jake Ruding, Sol Stappard, Halia Zhang, and Yunyang Xia.

The diplomats stayed at the Didsbury House Hotel, where they engaged in three private group discussions. A fourth was held on campus at the Manchester China Institute in the Lee Kai Hung building.

Professor of Politics, Peter Gries, founding Director of the Manchester China Institute (MCI), started the Dialogue in 2019 with an eye towards fostering mutual trust in UK-China relations. He said:

The retreat also included a public lunch on campus for Manchester students to meet with the diplomats. President Duncan Ivison attended and was the first to speak. Manchester boasts nearly 9,000 Chinese students, and President Ivison pointed to the Manchester-China Friendship Programme as an example of the work the University does to support the student experience in general, and for Chinese students in particular.

Other speakers at the lunch with students included Tang Rui, the Chinese Consul General to Manchester, Ben Leibowitz representing the FCDO delegation, and Jiang Zhouteng representing the Chinese Embassy.

After the lunch, BA English Literature and Chinese student, Julia Zelazo, said: 

Similarly, Vivian Wang, who recently graduated from UoM with an MA in International Education added: 

Manchester is the first British university to set social responsibility as a core goal. Demonstrating this commitment, Nalin Thakkar, UoM Vice-President for Social Responsibility; Fiona Devine, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities; Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences, and Richard Cotton, Director of International Development, also attended the lunch.

Dr Sha Zhou received her BA and MA in English Language and Literature in China, and a MRes in Historical Research at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London.

She then obtained a PhD in Contemporary British History from King’s College London in 2021, with a thesis on the migration of ethnic Chinese women to post-war Britain. 

Most recently, she worked at the School of International Studies/Academy of Overseas Chinese Studies at Jinan University. 

Sha’s research at MCI will look at grassroots Chinese activism in twentieth-century urban Britain.

The Manchester China Institute has partnered with the Humanities Vice-Dean for Social Responsibility to fund Dr Nan Zhang, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Medical Sociology and Social Gerontology in the Department of Social Statistics to lead a project on civic engagement with local Chinese communities.

Greater Manchester is home to one of the largest Chinese communities in the UK. The project will focus on older Chinese adults and Hong Kong migrants who have recently come to the UK.

The project will support various social and cultural activities aimed at understanding the challenges and barriers related to life adjustment to migration and maintaining family ties and care relations across borders. It will add much-needed evidence to the literature on ageing, care, and transnational migration by focusing on the Chinese diaspora in Greater Manchester. 

The project will bring together leading scholars from the University of Manchester specialising in ageing, health, well-being, digital technology, and China to establish a strong civic network with local Chinese communities, NGOs, community organisations, and local authorities in Greater Manchester. The civic engagement activities will make a positive difference to local Chinese communities in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Dr Nan Zhang and her colleagues aim to develop a review paper on ageing, transnational care and digital technology, as well as a major grant proposal in this area. The researchers will organise public lectures on ageing, family, and filial piety in Chinese society, coinciding with traditional Chinese festivals throughout 2024/2025. 

Inspired by the MCI’s successful UK-China International Photography Competition, they will also launch an amateur photo competition featuring ageing, care and filial piety among Chinese families in Greater Manchester.

She has extensive experience in HE, including in research and partnership development, stakeholder engagement, budgeting and events management. Before joining MCI, Yannan worked at the Institute of Education (IOE) at UCL for over five years. 

As a Research Centre Manager, she worked alongside the Centre Director to set up a Centre for Teacher and Early Years Education. This research centre was founded through a philanthropic donation and worked to contribute to the improving of the quality of early years education in China through research collaboration between IOE and partner universities in China.

During her time at UCL, Yannan was seconded to the IOE Research Development as the Research Development Manager. She contributed significantly to the institution’s five-year Research Strategy Delivery Plan to grow its research impact. 

To widen her experience, Yannan also worked at IOE Marketing and Communications as the Faculty Events Manager, running flagship recruitment events across PGT/PGR, UG and Initial Teacher Education and public facing events.

Prior to UCL, Yannan worked at London South Bank University’s Confucius Institute for nearly nine years. She held senior positions including Deputy Director, in developing, communicating and implementing the Institute’s strategy. Before coming to London, Yannan served as a lecturer in Business English at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.

The votes have been counted. The People’s Choice Award winners of the 2024 UK-China Photography Competition are Chih-Yu Chuang’s photo ‘My Morning Ritual of the Day’, and Muhammad Sajeer Parambath’s entry ‘Brewing Bonds: Jing’s Overflowing Coffee’. Each winner claims a prize of £100 in cash.

Coincidentally, both images focused on the theme of food and drink. 

Chuang commented of the winning photo: 

“Starting my day means embarking on a daily breakfast adventure, a joy I find even when travelling.” 

And Muhammed said of his image: 

“Jing’s morning ritual of crafting coffee for his colleagues brims with warmth and care, fostering heartwarming moments and laughter among the group.”

Run by the Manchester China Institute (MCI) and Creative Manchester at The University of Manchester, the theme of this year’s competition was 'Daily Rituals’. The top 30 finalists and winning photos were shortlisted out of hundreds of submissions received from China and the UK.

Each entry demonstrated how a thoughtful photograph can transcend cultural and linguistic divides, reveal our common humanity, and enhance mutual understanding between China and the UK. The votes were registered in person at this year’s Photo Exhibition at Alliance Manchester Business School, at the University’s Universally Manchester Festival, and online via Google and WeChat.

MCI Director, Professor Peter Gries, said: 

It will explore the birth of modern Sino-African relations, when the Qing Chinese government agreed to a deal with Britain to transport some sixty-thousand Chinese workers to labour in gold mines in South Africa’s Transvaal colony between 1903-1910.

Through multilingual archival work, Nick will examine how this contested transimperial venture functioned to introduce and shape conceptions of Africa and its peoples in China—and how these conceptions influenced the emergence of Chinese modernity. 

In this way, the project hopes to offer a ground-breaking contribution to understudied histories of the globally significant present-day relationship between China and the African continent.

The Early Career Fellowship is a highly competitive research grant awarded annually by the Leverhulme Trust to support the work of early career scholars. 

The award supports 36 months of full-time research and includes funding for research expenses. The research will be undertaken at Durham University under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Courtney. But Nick will remain a Scholar in Residence at MCI.

Nicholas McGee has been involved with the Manchester China Institute since 2019, and has most recently been working as a Lecturer in Chinese History at Durham University. His work explores questions of migration, nationality, and empire in 18th, 19th and 20th-century China. He is currently developing a book manuscript on the origins of the modern relationship between the Chinese state and the Chinese diaspora.

Aoife’s thesis, titled “Translating Kōminka: Shaping Narratives of Japanese Rule in Taiwan Through Translation Post-1975”, explores how literary translators have engaged with historical, political and cultural narratives of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan (1895-1945). It focuses on the translation history of a corpus of Japanese-language texts written by Taiwanese women during the final decade of colonial rule, arguing that their translations contain commentary on linguistic politics in colonial society, as well as Taiwanese femininity and its history. This research demonstrates the importance of considering the linguistic legacies of the Japanese colonial project after the end of empire, showing how works written in its throes possess a cultural influence beyond 1945.

The thesis was assessed by a panel of three academic judges, who commended it as ‘a courageous, incisive and beautifully written study of short texts produced by hitherto little-known women writers during the Japanese occupation 1934-1945. [Cantrill’s] analysis offers a sensitive and nuanced approach to a topic that continues to generate strident nationalist and patriotic passions.’ In addition, they noted that the thesis’ ‘conceptual reach will make it an exciting intervention in debates about the place of text and translation in mediating the political relationships between Taiwan, Japan and the PRC’. The award was made at the BACS annual conference held at King’s College London on 7-8 September 2023.

As a research associate at the MCI, Aoife is working on a postdoctoral project looking at the cultural politics of textile production in Japanese-occupied areas of China from 1931 onwards. In addition, for the academic year 2023-24 Aoife is a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester.

Before joining the Institute, she worked as a General Manager for Northeast Asia at eComplete, an eCommerce agency that helps brands expand internationally. Before that, Charlotte led various initiatives at the Manchester Airports Group (MAG). Her work cemented MAG’s role as the Gateway of the North as MAG was going through a £1bn transformation, including expanding its links with Asia.

Charlotte joins MCI as students return to campus for the new academic year. It is a busy time with the Institute preparing research talks and webinars on China studies, as well as growing its two signature programmes, the UK-China International Photography Competition and the Manchester-China Friendship Programme.

Prof. Peter Gries, MCI Director, said:

Dr. Charlotte Shi, MCI Institute Manager, said:

The European Association of Taiwan Studies (EATS) has awarded Manchester China Institute (MCI) research fellow Dr Tao Wang, a former PhD student at the Department of Politics, the 2023 Taiwan Studies Young Scholar Award (1st Prize).

The winning paper, “Weddings, Funerals, and Banquets: How Guanxi Serves Democracy,” explores how the informal institutions of guanxi affect political representation in Taiwan’s democracy today. Drawing on evidence from both in-depth interviews and observation, Tao argues that the unwritten rules of displaying connections with Very Important People (VIPs) lead Taiwanese national lawmakers to expend enormous effort on constituency activities in their districts. This research helps us better understand the resilience of Taiwan’s young democracy.

The winning paper was first evaluated through a double-blind external review process, and was further assessed during an oral presentation at the 20th annual EATS conference hosted by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London on 26-28 June 2023. The European Association of Taiwan Studies (EATS) promotes Taiwan studies in Europe.

“I was thrilled to hear the good news that Tao was awarded this year’s Young Scholar Award for Taiwan Studies in Europe. It is well deserved. Tao is not just one of the leading young scholars of Taiwan and cross-Strait relations today, but has also been pivotal in creating a community of young China scholars at Manchester.” - MCI Director Peter Gries

Tao Wang is a Hallsworth Research Fellow in Chinese Political Economy at The University of Manchester. He earned a PhD in Politics from the University in September 2021. His research lies at the intersection of informal institutions, political representation, and public opinion, with a regional focus on East Asia. Currently Tao is developing a book manuscript on constituency service in Taiwan, examining the ramifications of informal rules such as guanxi.

The category received a record 20,000 votes, registered in person at this year’s Photo Exhibition at Alliance Manchester Business School, at the University’s Community Festival, and online via Google and WeChat.

Huang Bingyao’s entry depicts his grandfather as the main character of his picture, sitting outside with a bowler hat on his head and the family treasure, the Yunnan hookah, in his hands. Commenting on his submission, the photographer said:

MCI Director, Professor Peter Gries, said:

Professor Thomas Schmidt, Head of the School of Arts, Languages, and Culture at the University of Manchester, added:

Will joined the MCI in Autumn 2019, just before Covid. Despite waves of lockdowns in both the UK and China, Will’s agile leadership enabled MCI to continue to grow. For instance, Will transitioned MCI’s in-person speaker series into an online webinar series, extending MCI’s impact to a global audience from Boston to Beijing.

Will also coordinated the launch and implementation of the Manchester-China Friendship Programme in 2021, creating vital opportunities for Chinese and British students to benefit from each other’s presence on campus. From 2020 to 2023, Will also managed four UK-China International Photo Competitions, including organising separate exhibitions in both Chengdu and Wuhan when lockdowns halted events in the UK.

In 2022, the University of Manchester recognised Will’s excellent work running MCI with the University’s Rewarding Exceptional Performance Award.

The retreat involved formal sit-down discussions of topics including the sources of trust and mistrust in U.S.-China relations, and confidence building and other measures to improve U.S.-China Relations. It also included informal activities for the diplomats, including hiking in Torrey Pines Reserve along the Pacific coast, and attending a Padres (San Diego) vs Cubs (Chicago) baseball game, which the Padres won. These activities gave the Chinese and American diplomats ample opportunity to get to know one another better, and further discuss bilateral issues.

Professor Peter Gries established the US-China Young Diplomats Dialogue in 2007 to generate mutual trust and improve U.S.-China relations, and cohosts it annually with Fudan University Professor WU Xinbo. It does this by creating an informal retreat-like atmosphere in which participating diplomats can establish personal relationships while frankly exchanging their views on bilateral relations. 

The 13th Dialogue was held in La Jolla, California, generously and expertly hosted by the 21st Century China Center at the University of California at San Diego. 

The participating American diplomats were Nick Snyder, Gareth Collins, Kim Fassler, Eric Bigelow, Paul Prokop, Emily Abraham, and Ashley Wood. The Chinese diplomats were LI Xiang (李想), WEN Zhirong (温志荣), HA Lisi (哈丽思), and PENG Yutian (彭宇田), all from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, and ZHU Shaoding (朱韶鼎), KANG Ning (康宁), ZHANG Jingcheng (张景铖), and HOU Jieying (侯洁莹) from the Chinese Consulates in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles respectively.

本次展览所展示的作品是今年中英国际摄影大赛的前30个作品，从数百个国际投稿中选出。参展作品和最终获奖作品由Michael Wood教授(曼彻斯特大学)、张海博士(云南大学)、朱晓闻(东南亚当代艺术中心)和孟冰纯博士(伦敦政治经济学院)组成的评审团选出。

获奖作品由大曼彻斯特郡长Gerry Yeung，曼彻斯特博物馆馆长Esme Ward，Creative Manchester负责人John McAuliffe和曼彻斯特大学DDAR负责人Kate Cambden在AMBS上公布。

The four main winners announced were:

宣布的四个大奖获奖者和作品分别是:

• 英国获奖者：Corina Andrisan 《艺术是我的宝贝》
• 中国冠军：周琤 《厨房 妈妈》
• 英国亚军：Olivia Parsonage 《麦卡的祖母帽子》
• 中国亚军：KAZ 《剃毛头》

出席的特别嘉宾包括连续五年担任大赛评委的Michael Wood教授，以及首次加入评审团的张海博士。两位评委朗读了中英两国获奖选手真挚的双语来信，讲述他们作品的美好故事。曼彻斯特大学艺术、语言和文化学院院长Thomas Schmidt和MCI院长Peter Gries也在颁奖典礼上致辞，Gries教授强调了本次摄影大赛的内核:

本次大赛优秀作品展览将于5月31日结束，期待大家亲自到场观看展览并进行现场投票，也可以在网络上投票选出最喜欢的照片。获得投票最多的作品将获得500英镑的奖金和“人民选择奖”的荣誉。在这里投票给您最喜欢的照片。

The Manchester China Institute (MCI), in partnership with Creative Manchester, launched the exhibition on Wednesday 3 May in recognition of the entries from the 2023 UK-China International Photography Competition.

Displayed throughout the entrance at AMBS is a collection of the top 30 entries, accompanied by the bilingual short stories all focused on the theme of ‘family treasures.’

The competition welcomed several hundred smartphone entries from residents of both the UK and China. The finalists and winners were selected by a judging panel comprised of Prof Michael Wood (University of Manchester), Dr Zhang Hai (Yunnan University), Xiaowen Zhu (ESEA Director), and Dr Bingchun Meng (LSE).

The winning photos were unveiled at the launch event by Greater Manchester High Sheriff, Gerry Yeung, Manchester Museum Director, Esme Ward, Creative Manchester Director, John McAuliffe, and Head of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Manchester, Kate Cambden.

The four main winners announced were:

• UK Winner (£1000): Corina Andrisan with ‘Art is my Treasure’
• China Winner (¥8,888): Zhou Zheng with ‘Kitchen Mother’
• UK Runner-up (£300): Olivia Parsonage with ‘Maika’s Ba’s Hat’
• China Runner-up (¥2,888): Kaz with ‘Hair Shave’

Amongst the special guests attending were broadcaster and author, Professor Michael Wood, returning as a judge for the 5th consecutive year, and Dr Zhang Hai, who joined this year’s judging panel for the first time. The two judges expertly read heartfelt bilingual letters sent by the UK and China winners, giving voice to their beautiful stories. Head of the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures at the University of Manchester Thomas Schmidt, and MCI Director, Peter Gries also spoke at the ceremony, with Professor Peter Gries emphasising the heart of the contest:

The exhibition is open to visitors at AMBS until May 31. It encourages people to vote for their favourite photo, either in-person or online. The photo receiving the highest number of votes will receive a £500 prize alongside the People’s Choice Award accolade. To view the photos and to vote online, visit the link here.

The celebration event gathered together contributors, staff and members of the city’s Chinese communities to mark Dr Lee’s formal opening of the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture gallery. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, there were speeches by our President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell, former City of Manchester Deputy Lieutenant Gerry Young (speaking on behalf of Dr Lee) and Manchester Museum Director Esme Ward. 

The speakers highlighted the importance of empathy in promoting intercultural understanding, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. The assistance and guidance provided by the Manchester China Institute and its director Professor Peter Gries have been crucial. This institution is also funded by Dr Lee.

At a special dinner, guests toasted Dr Lee’s generosity and vision. Dr Lee was presented with a model of the moon gate which greets visitors to the Gallery, and includes Dr Lee’s poignant quote:
 

More about the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Cultural Gallery

Showcasing rarely seen collections, and drawing on powerful personal narratives, this exciting new Gallery explores the rich legacy of the relationship and enduring links between Manchester and China. It has been informed by the research of our academics and international collaborations, and it offers a nuanced understanding of Chinese culture that includes natural history as well as the humanities.

Outstanding objects include a milu deer or si bu xiang (“four not alike”), a species rescued from the brink of extinction thanks to international collaboration. And loans from the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery and the John Rylands library include beautifully embroidered textiles, exquisitely carved jade artefacts, porcelain vases and an astonishing 20-metre-long scroll. 

The result is a visually stunning experience further enhanced by designers Imagemakers‘ sympathetic colour scheme. The Gallery highlights personal stories of migration, friendships and collaboration to inspire empathy and build understanding.

• Read more about the Museum galleries

The MCFP was launched in 2021 by Manchester China Institute (MCI) and Manchester China Forum (MCF), with support from the University of Manchester, aiming to help integrate new Chinese students into campus life, while simultaneously enriching the campus experience for local students. Now in its second edition, the scheme includes 40 UK-based “host” students and 60 newly-arrived Chinese students that engage in regular exciting events, seeking to break cultural barriers and develop mutual understanding between British and Chinese students.

Meeting the Lord Mayor was a chance to address the challenges faced by Chinese students across Manchester, and to spark a larger conversation about further positive Sino-British cultural exchanges. The Lord Mayor was highly receptive to the student’s concerns and proposals, as the MCFP looks to initiate a potential mentorship scheme between MCFP participants and school students across Greater Manchester. Seeing the programme’s achievements recognised on an administrative level is particularly important at a time when anti-Asian prejudice and discrimination has increased in the UK and around the world.

UoM Politics & Chinese student and Senior Host with the MCFP, Sol Stappard, emphasised the importance of the scheme at the event.

The MCI have appointed Lorelei Baciu, a Politics and Sociology graduate from the University of Manchester, with a wide expertise in the public relations and marketing sectors as their new Engagement and External Relations Officer.

Lorelei worked as as intern with the Manchester China Institute in February 2022, where she had the opportunity to coordinate the Manchester-China Friendship Programme (MCFP), an integration scheme that brings together Manchester-based ‘host’ students and newly-arrived Chinese students, with the aim of fostering intercultural friendships. 

In her new role at the MCI, Lorelei will assist with the organisation and delivery of weekly seminars and research talks as well as continuing to coordinate on the MCFP and other social outreach programmes. Lorelei will also focus on expanding MCI’s online presence by further developing its social media accounts and YouTube channel.
 

The competition is now open, with smartphone owners in the UK or China invited to submit photos on the theme of ‘family treasures’ by the evening of Wednesday 12 April.

An expert panel of judges will name the winners for the best UK, China, and Under-16 entries, with a special prize for the ‘People’s Choice’ winner, decided by the public. Winners and runners-up will receive prizes of up to £1,000 each.

The winning entries will be unveiled at an awards ceremony this summer and showcased alongside shortlisted entries at a dedicated exhibition on the University’s Oxford Road main campus. A selection of the winning images will also be displayed at Manchester Museum, after it was recently reopened following a £15m redevelopment.

For half a decade, the Competition has been a vital building block in increasing engagement, friendship, and mutual understanding between the UK and China. More than 2,000 entries have been submitted over the years, and in 2022 the ‘People’s Choice’ category received more than 30,000 votes from across the UK and China.

Professor Peter Gries, Lee Kai Hung Chair and Founding Director of the Manchester China Institute said: “The visual medium of the photograph can overcome linguistic divides, revealing our common humanity, and promoting mutual understanding in UK-China relations.”

“The Competition theme this year is ‘family treasures’, which seeks to capture personal experiences of what it feels like to cherish something associated with family.”

“Whether it’s an object with special significance, a talent that’s been passed down for generations, or a newly discovered treasure, we’re looking for visual stories that convey the special connections people form within their families.”

“No matter how small, or what it is, it’s all about what’s treasured in the eye of the beholder – whether they are in Beijing or Birmingham.”

Professor Thomas Schmidt, Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at the University, added: “The UK-China photography competition is a true showcase of creativity and an important milestone in the annual creative calendar in the north-west of England.”

“The launch comes at an exciting time for east and south-east Asian art and culture in Manchester. It follows the opening of the Chinese Culture Gallery in the recently refurbished Manchester Museum and the launch of the esea contemporary, an art gallery dedicated to east and south-east Asian art. We’re proud to have Xiaowen Zhu, Director of esea contemporary, as one of this year’s judges.”

“Entries from the last four editions have been truly exceptional, and we look forward to receiving many beautiful photos with their stories this year.”

Joining Xiaowen Zhu on the judging panel are Michael Wood, Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester; Dr Zhang Hai, Director of the Research Center for Visual Anthropology, School of Ethnology and Sociology at Yunnan University; and Bingchun Meng, Professor in Media and Communications at LSE.

To find out more and to submit entries, visit the UK-China International Photography Competition page at uom.link/ukchinaphoto.

The awards were made possible by MCI benefactor, Dr. Lee Kai Hung. In 2020, Dr. Lee generously committed £100,000 to match any other charitable gifts made towards the same travel fund, supporting UoM students and staff to study Chinese and conduct research on Greater China. Last year, ex-UMIST student and now one of China’s top electrical engineers, Li Ruomei, gifted £30,000 to be paid over three years, which has been since matched by Dr. Lee’s donation. 

“I’m Keisha and I was born and raised in London. I’m currently studying Modern Language and Business & Management (Chinese) at the University of Manchester. As part of my degree, I have the opportunity to study in Taiwan where I will be able to focus on improving my Chinese at the National Taiwan University in Taipei. I believe that learning Chinese is a very useful skill and will be valuable in my future as I hope to be involved in international organisations or work in communications related roles”. - Keisha Lam, 2022-2023 Travel Fund Awardee

Aside from sending students to research in the Chinese-speaking world, the gift has enabled the MCI to fund the arrival of world class researchers to be scholars in residence at the institute. The fund will be used to cover “bench fees” at the university, allowing the MCI to host at least four multi-disciplinary scholars in China studies in the 2022-2023 year.

Dr Wang obtained his Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Manchester in 2021 with his doctoral research focusing on how the informal rule of guanxi affects political representation in Taiwan. After completing his Ph.D. in the 2021-2022 academic year, Dr Wang worked at the MCI as a Research Associate on several projects about both Taiwanese and Chinese public opinion, where he collaborated widely with a global network of scholars. Dr. Wang also initiated the highly successful Early Career Researcher talks series at the MCI, enabling many young scholars to present their research to a multidisciplinary group of peers.

As a Hallsworth Research Fellow, Dr. Wang is formulating a new project about Chinese views of cross-strait relations. The study will examine the increasingly bellicose rhetoric about cross-strait relations in Chinese public opinion and explore the driving forces behind it.

MANCHESTER 6 July 2022 – A tender moment between an older couple captured the hearts of voters for this year’s People’s Choice Award for the UK-China International Photography Competition.

After whittling down several hundred entries, the top 30 submissions were exhibited at The Alliance Manchester Business School from 30 May to 1 July 2022, with the two main winners from the UK and China already selected by the contest’s expert judging panel during the opening ceremony. 

The People’s Choice Award left the selection up to the public, opening the votes both online and in-person at the exhibition. In total, almost 30,000 votes were cast through a combination of WeChat, Facebook, and the exhibit ballot box.

This third Award came with a prize of £500/¥4,500, and the clear winner was a fantastic submission from 王淑云 (Shuyun Wang). Her entry ‘The Older Couple’ (老来夫妻) depicted the affection still clearly visible between an elderly duo, as the husband spooned his wife the New Year treat of Tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls). The charming photograph was taken in rural Licheng County, Shanxi Province.

The MCI and Creative Manchester wish to congratulate all three winners once again on their wonderful entries.

The winners of the this year’s competition were revealed last night (30 May 2022) at a buzzing launch event hosted at the Alliance Manchester Business School, where the Top 30 exhibition will also be held for the upcoming month.

Abigel Vizi’s ‘A New Definition of Home’ scooped the UK entrants prize of £1,000, while Weiyuan Tong took home the Chinese entrants prize of 8,888 RMB for ‘Busy Two Sides’.

Both images were striking in their honesty and warmth in capturing this year’s theme of ‘The Feeling of Home’ and were similarly shot in black and white. 

The winning photos, which were just two of over 300 submissions from the UK and China, were unveiled by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Head of School Professor Thomas Schmidt, and Dr Michael Wood, broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester, who was also one of the panel of four expert judges.

The panel also included:  Dr Rupert Cox, Professor of Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester; Dr Hongwei Bao, Associate Professor in Media Studies at The University of Nottingham; and Dr Wenny Teo, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art at The Courtauld Institute of Art. 

The judging panel placed Zibo Zhou’s ‘Faraway Home’ and Ye Da’s ‘Fuel, Rice, Cooking Oil and Daily Necessities’ as very close runners-up when deciding the two main winners, as they narrowly missed out on first prize.

Although the opportunity to enter the competition is closed again for another year, there is still a chance to vote for the People’s Choice award for best picture, with votes open to the public via Facebook and public ballot box located in the AMBS foyer until June 23, when it will be moved to a satellite exhibition at the Manchester Community Festival on 25 June. Voting will close on 26 June and the winning photographer will receive £500. To vote online, simply go to the Facebook gallery and “like” the photo that you think should win.

On Tuesday, 26 April 2022, the School of Social Sciences and the Manchester China Institute celebrate the launch of ‘Pure and True: the everyday politics for China’s Hui Muslims’ the new book from Lecturer in Chinese Politics, David R. Stroup.

In his new publication, Dr Stroup asks why doesn’t conflict plague relationships between the Hui and the State? And how do they navigate their ethnicity in a political climate that is increasingly hostile to Muslims? Drawing on interviews with ordinary urban Hui, the book develops a distinctive account of how the boundaries of Hui identity is contested between groups of Hui rather than between the Hui and the State. By channelling contentious politics towards internal boundaries, the state is able to exert control.

David Stroup is a Lecturer of Chinese Politics at the University of Manchester. He received his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in August 2017. His current research, drawing on ethnographic and interview gathered over the course of a year in China on Fulbright Research grant, focuses on how the renegotiation of ethnic boundaries in ethnic Hui Muslim communities in the context of urbanization interacts with China’s state policies on ethnic and religious identification.

The launch is open to all interested parties and will take place on Tuesday, 26 April 2022 on Zoom between 12:30-13:30pm.

Registration is free, via Eventbrite

Dr. Han-Wu-Shuang (Bruce) Bao 包寒吴霜 received a BSc degree in psychology from Beijing Normal University and subsequently a PhD in social psychology from Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests range from social cognition to cultural psychology, with a focus on personal names in studying social perception and cultural change. 

Bruce’s expertise lies in quantitative research methods such as time series analysis and word embedding, and he has developed a suite of programming toolkits for more efficient data analysis in psychological and behavioural sciences.

“I have long been investigating Chinese cultural psychology and this position at MCI is a fantastic opportunity which perfectly fits my research interests. I look forward to the next two promising years alongside Prof. Peter Gries and my other new colleagues at MCI.”

Aoife Cantrill’s research looks at the politics of gender, literature and language in Taiwan and China under Japanese imperialism. She is currently finishing her PhD at the University of Oxford, which explores how translators have used women's writing to shape narratives of Japanese rule in Taiwan. 

Her postdoctoral project will examine everyday objects of the cloth industry alongside literary representations of clothing in Shanghai and Manchuria between 1930 and 1945. She is excited to begin this new project at MCI in September, especially given Manchester's historic links with the global textile industry. 

“We are absolutely delighted to have two such passionate and talented academics join the research team,” MCI Director Peter Gries wrote. “Their areas of expertise perfectly match the core principles central to the MCI mission, focusing on impact, equality and understanding”.

The UK-China International Photography Competition, run by the Manchester China Institute and Creative Manchester, is back for the fourth consecutive year.

The competition, which promotes mutual understanding in UK-China relations through the celebration of our common humanity, is this year themed around “The Feeling of Home”.

In the competition, entrants are asked to use a smartphone camera to capture a moment which evokes a feeling associated with home - whatever that might mean to you. This could be a particular person, an emotion or a specific place; anything which conjures that unique, homely feeling. Anyone may participate in the competition providing their photo was taken in either the UK or China over the past 12 months.

The competition launches on Tuesday, 1 March 2022 and closes on Tuesday, 10 May, 2022, with the top 30 photos exhibited at a gallery space in Manchester for one month. While the UK and China winners will be announced at the opening ceremony, there will also be an ongoing vote for the People’s Choice Award during the exhibition, with the winning entry announced at the end of the exhibition.

Prizes

• Best UK Submission: £1,000
• Best China Submission: £1,000 [¥8,888]
• People’s Choice: £500 [¥4,500]

The judging panel includes:

• Michael Wood, Historian and Broadcaster and Professor of Public History, The University of Manchester;
• Wenny Teo, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Art, The Courtauld Institute.
• Rupert Cox, Professor of Social Anthropology at The University of Manchester;
• Hongwei Bao, Associate Professor of Media Studies, The University of Nottingham

Entrants should submit their photographs by email to creative@manchester.ac.uk, with the subject line “The Feeling of Home”.

To find out more about the competition please visit the photography competition web page.

View the Chinese version of this article.

The Manchester China Institute (MCI) Director, Prof. Peter Gries, has contributed to a successful bid for a British Council grant designed to strengthen UK-China institutional partnerships through academic collaboration. MCI partnered with the Universities of Exeter and Reading, and Kings College London, all members of the UK-China Humanities Alliance for Higher Education (UKCHA), in securing a total of £132,085.

As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, the grant will fund a programme which aims to re-connect UK academics in the humanities with students and scholars in China, supporting the re-establishment of existing links and new collaborations. The funding will facilitate the work of a new generation of scholars through collaborative research and networking opportunities, encouraging UK-China higher education cooperation.

Many Chinese students and scholars receive Chinese grants for travel and subsistence but are not allowed to use them for desk (or ‘bench’) fees that are routinely charged by UK universities to meet the actual costs of hosting academic visitors. A relatively modest sum averaging £2.5K per person would bridge this gap and leverage off other funding so that mobility and academic exchange can take place. Visiting Chinese students and scholars would be hosted in their home Humanities departments, and would also be offered a “hot desk” within MCI’s Scholars in Residence program, should they wish to interact with Chinese speaking colleagues as well.

“I’m thrilled that Manchester was part of a winning bid for the British Council grant,” said Director Gries. “Given the recent deterioration of UK-China relations, jump-starting academic collaborations is both important and timely.”

The two-year programme will commence January 2022.

Covid-19 has made traveling to the Chinese speaking world more difficult, so the fund has been expanded to include students and early career scholars from the Chinese speaking world to visit the University of Manchester to study or conduct research. Individual travel awards will typically range from £500 to £2500, and be used to cover flights, tuition, or desk fees. MCI recently renovated its scholars in residence and research rooms in its Grade II listed building on Waterloo Place, and is prioritising the creation of a thriving, academic hub.

How to apply

If you wish to apply for an MCI UK-China Travel Scholarship or Grant, please fill out this form and email it together with a one-page CV to mci@manchester.ac.uk with the subject line, ‘MCI UK-China Travel Fund application'.

The Manchester-China Friendship Programme (MCFP) further seeks to develop mutual understanding and friendships between students of the two nations, particularly important at a time where Covid-related anti-Asian prejudice, discrimination and aggression has increased across the UK. Speaking of the launch, Director of the MCI, Peter Gries commented:

“I am thrilled to learn that the Manchester-China Friendship Programme is now live. With pandemic-enforced travel restrictions and online learning, opportunities for face-to-face interactions between Chinese and British students at Manchester have declined precipitously. Given that China’s diplomatic relations with the UK have become increasingly complex over the past two years, it is ever more important that our students, who will carry UK-China relations forward, have the opportunity to interact while here in Manchester. Better integrating our many Chinese students into the life of our campus will benefit all involved”.

The programme will consist of Manchester-based “host” students who will build relationships with incoming Chinese freshers. A number of exciting events will be organised throughout the academic year to help develop these relationships, before an end-of-year ceremony, whereby the progress of those involved in the programme will be acknowledged. Rhys Whalley, Executive Director of the Manchester China Forum said:

"The Manchester-China Friendship Programme is an exciting opportunity for all Manchester-based students to enhance their understanding of other cultures and forge friendships across borders. Greater Manchester prides itself on its diversity and openness to new arrivals from across the globe and has always enjoyed incredibly strong links with the Chinese community.

"MCFP is a welcome addition that will provide local and international students with a unique opportunity, to take a leading role in developing long-lasting relationships that can serve to enhance mutual understanding between our two countries. This initiative also provides a great way for the City and the University to collaborate further, in promoting the ideals of inclusivity and diversity while at the same time supporting both local and international students in building cultural bridges across borders."

MCI and its partners hope that this academic year will just be the beginning for the MCFP initiative, and successful, long-lasting relationships can be forged and built upon over the coming years.

The Hallsworth Conference Fund seeks to fund 4-6 landmark events each year that have emerging importance to the Humanities, exploring a wide range of issues, including global inequalities, international relations and creativity and heritage. Dr Morris is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Manchester China Institute who researches mobility, surveillance and digital geography, and has recently written on (digital) mobility and stillness in China. During fieldwork in Beijing, Dr Morris explored the dynamic Chinese zine scene, from both Mainland China and the Greater China region, finding zines to be a medium through which creative stories of migration, gender, inequality and the mundane could be told in ways that often circumvent censorial systems.

"I'm really looking forward to hosting this conference on zines and self-publishing in China at the MCI and want to thank the Hallsworth Conference Fund for their support. Thanks to their support, not only are we able to host a conference on an under-researched topic, but we are also able to host this conference in an innovative way. I'm really excited to produce our own conference zine, to host zine-making workshops and to bring zine-makers to the conference table." Dr Carwyn Morris

The conference will bring together zine creators, academic specialists in zines and academics who research China's feminist (self-)publishing past and present to help stimulate a research agenda on Chinese zines and feminist self-publishing. By hosting two workshops, the conference will not only explore the medium of zines but also explore zine-making practices.

Dr Morris will also produce a zine in collaboration with photographer Liz Hingley, creative brand seventyfive, and incoming University of Oxford PhD student, Bonnie Wang. The conference zine will interview young adults to collaboratively explore the aesthetics and ideas found in 1930s Chinese women's publishing and to reflect on China's feminisms and consider how much has changed since the Republic of China era. It is hoped the conference can inspire both academic and non-academic publications, including the production of more zines. 

Dr Morris hopes to hold the conference in early 2022, with the first volume of the zine conference available by mid-October. A call for papers will go out for conference participation before September. Dr Morris would be happy to hear from any zine makers or zine researchers who may be interested in taking part in the conference.

The 30 shortlisted photographs were then exhibited at the Wuhan Tiandi Horizon, China, where the awards ceremony took place on 10 June and the competition continued with a third award, the People’s Choice Award, which asked the public to decide on the final winning photograph.

The Award came with a prize of £500/¥4,500, and the public were asked to vote either through ‘liking’ their favourite image on Facebook/WeChat or voting in-person at the exhibition in Wuhan. In total over 6000 votes were cast, with a total of almost 15000 people visiting the exhibition in person.

The clear winner was a submission from 陈碧鑫 (Bixin Chen), whose photograph titled ‘Caring for the left-behind elderly’ (关爱留守老人) showed volunteers carrying rice and oil to the elderly residents of Xinchu Village in Zhejiang Province in eastern China, in 2021.

The award for the Best UK Submission went to Ruthie Clegg, whose photograph 'What Does Caring Mean to Me?', presented an NHS worker, in a hospital at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. The award for the Best China Submission went to Hongwei Zhang (张洪卫) whose entry 'Caring Between the Old Couple', showed an elderly couple sat in front of their home, the wife helping her husband to trim his toenails. Both of these winners received £1,000/8,888 RMB.

Manchester China Institute and Creative Manchester recently staged a China-based awards ceremony for this year’s International Photography Competition, which marked the 35th anniversary of Manchester’s twinning with Wuhan. Hundreds of caring-themed submissions were received from both countries, whittled down to a shortlist of 30 – including two overall winners – by an esteemed judging panel including Michael Wood (Historian, Broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester). The 30 shortlisted photographs are now being exhibited at the Wuhan Tiandi Horizon, China, where the awards ceremony took place on 10 June 2021.

The well-attended ceremony warranted coverage from Chinese news stations, with local dignitaries and representation from the Wuhan UK consulate adding prestige to the occasion. UK Ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson was in attendance and announced the two overall winners, with Professor Alessandro Schiesaro (Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures) and Peter Gries (Director of the Manchester China Institute) giving remote speeches congratulating the winners. During his speech, Professor Gries said:

“I’m thrilled that this year’s winners on the Chinese side and the UK side, well capture that caring is common to the human condition, which I think is particularly valuable at a time when COVID-19 has led to a lot of isolation between individuals and international relations have become difficult. I think it makes these photos that emphasise our common humanity particularly touching.”

Michael Wood also gave a remote speech, in which he stated “The photos coming in this, of all years, have really transported all of us – especially the Chinese photos back to the streets of China, and the joy and affability of the people.”

The award for the Best UK Submission went to NHS worker, Ruthie Clegg, whose photograph was taken in a hospital at the height of the pandemic. It shows the nonverbal ways that Ruthie and her colleagues cared for each other during an incredibly difficult period. In her pre-recorded acceptance speech, Ruthie told us how much it meant to receive the award, and stressed the need for caring amid tough times: “It was really important to be there for one another, as staff members, as nothing ever prepared us for what we were going to see in this past year”.

The UK Ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson DCMG (right) presented the award for the Best China Submission to Zhang Hongwei (张洪卫), whose image presented an amusing snapshot of life in rural Yunnan, showing a wife ably trimming her husband’s toenails. Zhang attended the Wuhan awards ceremony in person, travelling all the way from Yunnan (the equivalent journey of London to Rome!).

Both overall winners received £1,000/8,888 RMB. A third award is still up for grabs, and the recipient is to be decided by the public. Voting for the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a prize of £500/¥4,500, is now open. Have your say by heading over to Creative Manchester’s Facebook page and ‘liking’ your favourite image in the album entitled ‘International Photography Competition 2021: People’s Choice Vote’.

Promoting mutual understanding in UK-China relations, this year’s International Photography Competition – presented by Creative Manchester and the Manchester China Institute – celebrates the 35th anniversary of Manchester’s twinning with Wuhan, the capital of Hubei.

Running from 1 March-11 May 2021, the competition invited amateur photographers from the UK and China to encapsulate what ‘Caring’ means to them within a smartphone photo, for the chance to win one of two top prizes: £1000 for the best UK photo and ¥8,888 for the best photo entered from China.

Hundreds of photographs were submitted to the competition, each responding to the theme of Caring in a different – often profound – way. Taken as a whole, these photographs serve as a reminder that whatever the national differences between the UK and China, we are all human beings who cherish affection.

A panel of esteemed judges including Michael Wood (Historian, Broadcaster and Professor of Public History at The University of Manchester) reviewed the submissions and whittled them down to a shortlist of 30, which will be displayed at an exhibition at the Wuhan Tiandi Horizon from 10-30 June. The overall winners from each country will be unveiled at the exhibition opening, with a further winner – selected by the public – to be announced when the exhibition closes.

Voting for the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a prize of £500/¥4,500, is now open. Have your say by heading over to Creative Manchester’s Facebook page and ‘liking’ your favourite image in the album entitled ‘International Photography Competition 2021: People’s Choice Vote’.

The Manchester China Institute is delighted to announce the recruitment of two new student interns through the Q-Step Program to join a study of how gendered stereotypes shape patterns of racial prejudice, discrimination, and aggression against Asian and Black men.

University of Manchester second-year politics students Elena Keefe and Ihesinachi Oyouwa Oko-Jaja were selected to join the study from a large pool of candidates. The multi-study, multi-method project was inspired by developments in #STOPASIANHATE and BLM in 2020-21. The newly-appointed Q-Step interns will use semi-automated quantitative content analysis this summer to explore US social media texts for the expected racial stereotypes about masculinity.

“I feel honoured and excited to be able to contribute to the [MCI] project on gendered stereotypes of Asian and Black men through the Q-step program,” Elene Keefe (pic right) of Manchester writes. “Racial inequality, specifically, is an issue I am passionate about… as stereotyping and racial prejudice are still all too prevalent in the UK and internationally.” 

Ihesinachi Oyouwa Oko-Jaja (pic left), who is pursuing a joint politics-criminology degree, echoed Elena’s sentiments. “The BLM and #StopAsianHate movement have really highlighted the importance of approaching racial and gender discrimination in an intersectional, nuanced way, both in academia and wider society. To contribute to this goal on the Q-step internship is an amazing opportunity… I'm excited to work on this project and use our platform to investigate, understand and bring attention to gendered racial discrimination and violence that people have long-endured”.

“Our research team is thrilled to have two such passionate and talented new members join us,” MCI Director Peter Gries wrote. 

曼彻斯特和武汉于1986年正式结为友好姐妹城市。同年，中国驻曼彻斯特总领馆成立。几十年来，华人对曼彻斯特的影响和文化促进了这一伙伴关系的建立，时至今日，形成了庞大的华人社区，以及曼彻斯特市中心著名的中国城。

去年的经历人们依然历历在记，并给予了2021年的结好纪念更多意义，强调了在历史联系的基础上，武汉和曼彻斯特两市更应继续巩固这一友谊。“2021年中英国际摄影大赛”作为其中的一个环节，旨在鼓励持续的文化交流和观点交流，促进两市和中英两国之间积极的联系和更多的文化理解。

今年摄影大赛的主题是“何谓关爱”。关爱朋友、家人、陌生人和社会。如欲了解更多比赛信息及如何参赛，请点击http://uom.link/caring 。排名第一的摄影作品不仅将获得现金奖励，入围作品还将在武汉市中心的武汉天地壹方购物中心展出三周。英国驻武汉总领事馆是今年摄影大赛及照片展的协办单位之一，本次摄影大赛将为今夏及以后更多的曼彻斯特-武汉周年庆典系列活动拉开序幕。

英国驻武汉副总领事华熳廷(Martin Walley)强调了通过摄影大赛这类项目增进人文联系，促进中英友好关系的重要性:

“我很高兴看到2021年中英国际摄影大赛将于今年夏天来到武汉。”“本次大赛的主题是‘何谓关爱’，这让我想起了去年曼彻斯特和武汉对彼此的支持。面对新冠肺炎疫情，从政府领导到当地的小学生，两市的人民通过提供医疗设备和加油打气的方式，相互给予了关爱。”“正是这些人与人之间的联系，为互惠互利的关系带来了繁荣。2021年恰逢曼彻斯特和武汉建立友好姐妹城市35周年，我们将通过签署双方共同商定的新的三年行动计划来深化这一关系，巩固未来两市在各个层面的合作。”

摄影大赛的投稿截止日期是5月4日，后期选出的优秀作品将于6月9日-29日在武汉天地壹方购物中心展出。

编者按：为庆祝曼彻斯特和武汉姐妹友好关系35周年，两市将在6月至10月举行一系列线上和线下周年庆典活动。活动包括:《2021-2023年行动计划》市长签署仪式、主题合作研讨会、面向公众的摄影、设计和艺术展览等。“2021年中英国际摄影大赛“将作为周年庆典中6月份的亮点活动。

©️武汉市文化和旅游局

Manchester and Wuhan were officially twinned in 1986, the same year that the Chinese Consulate-General in Rusholme, Manchester opened its doors. This twinning process was built on several decades of Chinese influence and culture in Manchester, which revolved around its large Chinese community and the famous city-centre Chinatown.

With the events of the past year still firmly in people’s minds, the 2021 twinning anniversary holds extra significance and emphasises the need to keep building on the historic friendship. The 2021 UK-China International Photo Competition is one rung in the ladder which hopes to encourage continued cultural exchanges and perspective-taking, fostering positive links and greater cultural understanding between the two cities, and nations.

The theme of this year’s Competition is “Caring”. Caring for friends, family, strangers and society. For more information and details of how to enter, please visit the MCI competition page. The top-ranked photographs will not only receive cash prizes, but the finalists will also have their entries exhibited for three weeks in Wuhan Tiandi Horizon in Wuhan’s city centre. The British Consulate-General in Wuhan is one of this year’s co-organisers, and the photo competition will act as a precursor to more activities over the summer and beyond, celebrating Manchester and Wuhan’s historic links.

Martin Walley, British Deputy Consul-General in Wuhan has been discussing the importance of fostering links through programmes such as the photo competition benefits UK-China relations:

“I am very happy to see that the International Photo Competition 2021 is coming to Wuhan this summer. The theme ‘What does caring mean to you?’ reminds me of how supportive Manchester and Wuhan were to each other last year.

"When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the people of the two cities, from government leaders to primary school students shared their caring, by providing medical equipment and spiritual support to the people in their sister city.

"It is these examples of People to People links that bring prosperity to a mutually beneficial relationship. 2021 also marks the 35th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Manchester and Wuhan, and we will deepen this relationship by signing a new jointly agreed three-year action plan, to consolidate cooperation at all levels between the two cities in the future.”

The competition deadline for submissions is 4 May, and the exhibition will be on display from 9 - 29 June in Wuhan Tiandi Horizon.

©️ Wuhan Culture and Tourism Bureau

In 1994, as a researcher in CEPRI, Beijing, China, Ruomei Li was awarded a Lee Kai Hung Fellowship, enabling her to spend 12 months studying at UMIST. She began her studies in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics in November 1994 (right), under the supervision of Professor Ron Allan, before departing in January 1996 to study for a PhD degree at the University of Bath, which she completed in 2000. After returning to China, Dr Li continued to pursue a successful career in the field of electrical engineering.

For over a quarter-century, Dr Li always held deep gratitude to the Lee Kai Hung Foundation. To recognise this, Dr Li has very generously donated £10,000 per year, for three consecutive years to the Manchester China Institute (MCI). Dr Li’s philanthropic gift is a perfect example of ‘paying it forward’ – the recipient of a good deed repaying a kindness to others, rather than her original benefactor.

Currently based in China, Dr Li is the Chair of Women in Power (WIP) at the Power & Energy Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE PES). She is also in the Executive Council of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO). 

Dr Li’s gift will support the work of the Manchester China Institute (MCI), which promotes mutual understanding in UK-China relations by conducting and supporting multidisciplinary research, teaching, and activities about China.