Chinese students help out on VIP visit to Lincolnshire

A group of LIBS Chinese students helped to smooth the communications when a delegation of 70 business people and politicians, from the Hunan Province of China, visited Lincoln for the day on 19th April 2018.

This was the end of the delegation’s visit to the UK, having spent the previous week at a trading convention at the NEC in Birmingham.

The Hunan Province of China is partnered with Lincolnshire through the Lincolnshire-Hunan Activity Plan 2017-2018 that aims to support growth in the local Lincolnshire economy. In particular the Council aim to “develop relationships with Hunan’s Education Bureau” and to “develop a Lincolnshire China Student Ambassadors Scheme.”

The students joined the party up at the Assembly Rooms at the top of Lincoln for a welcome by Councillor Davie.

They then went on one of four excursions in the morning to either: Holbeach, University of Lincoln; Immingham port; a tour of the universities in Lincoln; or a tour of tea businesses in Lincoln. In the afternoon they went either to the castle or to the cathedral. Three students stayed on for a formal dinner in the cathedral in the evening.

For LIBS and the students this was the launch of the Chinese Ambassador Programme; a collaboration between Lincolnshire County Council, (LCC), China Britain Regional Initiative (CBRI) and LIBS. The aim of this programme is “to identify students with Chinese language and cultural skills who are looking to gain work experience and connect them with local businesses who are hoping to trade with China.”

The students helped the official translators with translation, spoke about their experiences in Lincoln and let the delegation know that Lincoln is a good place to invest.

“The Chinese Ambassador Scheme help me gain a precious experience and I can write it in my CV.”

“For the Tea Industry, I would like to be a bridge to make the connection between the Hunan and Lincolnshire, if any side would like to make an inquiry I am very glad to help doing translate the information.” 

“This is my first time to do the translation for this kind of formal activity.… So if there has another chance to do the things like this activity, I would very happy to help.”

Chinese student Angela Driver, Senior Commissioning Officer for Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub at LCC, who organised the visit, passed on her thanks to the Student Ambassadors who all did: “the most fantastic job on Thursday.”

The students who attended were:

  • Wing Sze Ng
  • Yunfan Ren
  • James Goodwin
  • Wenchang You
  • Xianzheng Gu