By Janice Dickson, SCA Chairman, 11 November 2012

A delegation from the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) visited Scotland in late October, at the invitation of the SCA, as well as Denmark and the Isle of Man.

The main purpose of their visit was to promote a seminar in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in September 2013, focused on agricultural and cultural exchanges between China and Europe. This will be the third such seminar - the first was held in Chengdu and the second in Jilin. CPAFFC also work closely with Edinburgh Napier University and with The Scottish Government, who are hosted by CPAFFC when they visit China.

The four member delegation was led by Ms Lv Yanxia, Division Director of the European and Asian Affairs Department – she knows Scotland well, having studied marketing at Napier. She was joined by Mr Tan Xiaohua, Secretary General of the Ningxia People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Mr Zhang Fuguo, Director Professor of the Research Assistance Department of the Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences. Sun Chi, Kathy, was the interpreter from CPAFFC.

They started their journey in Denmark, then continued via Manchester to the Isle of Man for meetings and farm visits arranged by the Department of Economic Development, before arriving in Edinburgh on 21st October.

In Edinburgh meetings were arranged with Scotland’s Rural College (formed in October 2012), The Scottish Government, Edinburgh Napier University and the Chinese Consulate-General. The delegation then drove to Glamis Castle (twinned with the Great Wall !) where they were met by Libby Reynolds from Glamis and Steve Wilson from the Economic Development department of Angus Council, who gave a briefing on agriculture in Angus as they drove along Glen Clova. Our Mandarin-speaking guide, Tom Mitford, then played his pipes to complete the picture.

In the evening the SCA hosted a banquet before the delegation returned to China. SCA members were warmly invited to Ningxia in 2013 to attend the seminar.

The SCA has welcomed delegations from CPAFFC for over 30 years, and we would like to thank all our members who take part and arrange these visits. The SCA has also enjoyed the hospitality from CPAFFC when we visit China, and we hope that this relationship may continue to flourish in the future.