Christmas Presence from Christmas Past

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
Gets into the Christmas Spirit(s)

By Stephen A. Nelson

January-February, 2005

BritCham Events or "What's Going On, Anyway?"

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
News, Events and Happenings

By Stephen A. Nelson

May-June, 2005

October-November, 2005

May-June, 2006

BritCham Taipei's First e-newsletter

BritCham Bulletin — July 2005

BritCham: Building a Better Business Network

Welcome to the new BritCham Bulletin — our monthly e-newsletter — brought to you by the producers of the Britannia magazine and the BritCham Web site. This is the place to look for the latest news from the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei.

This is where you can “turn on, tune in and drop by” to get everything from updates on what's been happening to heads up on important things that are going to happen.

BritCham: Making Connections
Here’s where we tell you everything that's happening this month.

An Italian Wine Promotion & Jazz Evening
Wednesday, 13 July, 2005
Time: 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sappho de Base: B1, No. 1, lane 102, AnHe Rd, Sec. 1, Taipei
Cost: NT$1000 members; NT$1500 non-members

During these lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, BritCham’s BritPack offers its members a cool and refreshing evening of wines, accompanying dishes and terrific jazz. This is a value-for-money event where three kinds of Danzante wines will be tasted along with accompanying dishes, ending with some exquisite jazz with one band member being none other than a BritCham member, Ashley Hines!

Through these casual yet entertaining activities, BritPack aims to bring its members not only fun evenings, but also to introduce the latest discovery of “in” places around Taipei. Come with us and explore!

To register, please call: 2547-1199

BritCham Improved Reading Skills
Saturday-Sunday, 9-10 July, 2005
Time: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
American Club in China

Cost: NT$9500 (includes breakfasts, lunches, tea and coffee)

The Improved Reading course – with more than 40 years track record – is an internationally acclaimed program that will enable you to read faster, understand better and remember more.

The course enables participants to save up to two hours per day; and make better-informed decisions. They should experience less stress, increased motivation and enjoy better career prospects.

The instructor, Mr Terry Hilliard is Dean of Studies and Director of Teacher Training at the International Institute of Social Economics in the UK. He has been training in various subjects since 1949.

Registration link: http://www.bcctaipei.com/Events/20050703_Reading%20Course.htm
Please note that the one-day reading course for Sunday, 3^rd July has been cancelled.

BritCham’s BritPack 2^nd Annual Mid-Summer Night’s Party
Saturday, 23 July, 2005

Time: 6 p.m. to ?
31-1, lane 340 Yung Kong Rd., Taipei (Yangmingshan)

Cost: NT$1100 for members and their guests; NT$1300 non-members

Due to the success of last year’s event, BritCham is once again hosting an event enchanting enough for Shakespeare’s title. The Director General of the British Trade and Cultural Office and the lady of the manor have kindly agreed to open their home to BritCham/BritPack members and their friends. Join us for an evening of delicious summer fare, beers and wines (you bring the wine). Enjoy good company, food, and fun!

Note: Beer for the evening is sponsored by International Contracts Consultancy (Far East) Pte Ltd – courtesy of Cottingham & Co.

BritPack July Dinner-Wine Tasting: Spanish Tapas
Wednesday, 27 July, 2005

Time: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Que Pasa Restaurant & Tapas Bar

Cost: TBA

The dinner-wine tasting series is back with Mary Nicholls, wine consultant extraordinaire, who will take us through to the world of tapas at one of Taipei’s latest trendy restaurants. What is Tapas? These are bite-sized snacks (though they can be quite filling) to munch on along with aperitifs or whatever alcoholic beverages one cares to wash down with.

Join us on this tour of Spanish delicacies so popular in Spain, where the official dining hour is at 9 or 10:00 p.m. Mary will also make suggestions on the appropriate wines as accompaniment and of course, we get to try these too!

For enquiries and further information, please contact the office: info@bcctaipei.com or telephone: 2547-1199.

BritCham Workshop: Better Negotiation Skills
June 2^nd, after a gourmet lunch catered by Le Café Unique, Burghart Groeber, back at the request of BritCham, gave another workshop on “The Art of Negotiation.” Groeber supported his ideas with humour and examples providing the audience with easy to relate to information that was both enjoyable and useful for all of life’s negotiations.

All-Chambers June Networking Drinks Night
The second 2005 all-chambers social night saw close to 200 guests gathered from the various chambers in Taipei chatting and networking the evening away at Taipei’s favourite watering hole, Carnegie’s, on Thursday, 9^th June. The next slated one? Not till close to Christmas, when we’ll be toasting to Santa and the holiday break!

BritCham June Members’ Business Luncheon
Following a tradition which began last year, BritCham members were treated to a delicious spread of curry buffet, prepared by the resident Indian Chef at the American Club in China on Thursday, 16^th June. Information wise, members enjoyed Diary of a CEO author and honorary BritCham member, Bill Li’s, presentation on the rigors of international business.

Focusing on a myriad of business problems and personal experiences, Li’s ideas were valuable to any company hoping to “keep walking” in a competitive international environment.

2005 AGM & Pool Side BBQ

The British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei holds a board election bi-annually (next one is in 2006) but an annual general meeting is necessary to inform members of the state of affairs for their Chamber. The 2004 financial report and 2005 budget were presented along with the year’s business plan. Members voted unanimously to accept the reports as presented.

Following the AGM, it is customary to hold a pool side BBQ. However, due to the rain, Hyatt’s most efficient staff performed the miracle of bringing both pool and BBQ indoors! How did they do it? Well, you had to be there….Fun was had by all, particularly when everyone continued onwards to the Hyatt’s Ziga Zaga where the Earthbeat was in full steam. A few members were seen stomping the dance floor and other strange moves….

BritPack Jeep 4x4 Rally

On Sunday, 26^th June, 20 members and their friends revved up their engine and participated in a rally which saw the Tesco team, calling itself “The Famous 5” as the winner. In this game testing one’s wit, smarts, sense of direction and riddle-solving skills, we admit that – No one did it better! Congratulations, guys and girls!

British Trade and Cultural Office Update
The fees for passports, visas and chargeable consular services provided by British consular posts overseas are to change from Friday 1 July 2005. On the same date, the fee for legalisation services provided by the FCO in London and overseas will change.

From 1 July 2005 the following fees will apply:

Adult 32 page: £69.00 - NT$4100
Adult 48 page: £82.00 - NT$4900
Child: £45.00 - NT$2700
Emergency: £43.50 - NT$2600
Amendments: £57.00 - NT$3400

Details of the official announcement can be found from the following link.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet

That’s it for the July edition of the BritCham Bulletin. Happy Summer Holiday, Everyone!

Copyright © The British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei All rights reserved.
The British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei Suite 805, 8th Floor, 207 DunHua North Road, Taipei 105, Taiwan
Tel: +886 (2) 2547 1199 Fax: +886 (2) 2547 2378

BritCham was the first chamber of commerce in Taipei to send out an e-newsletter to its members. The idea was to keep members informed and up-to-date between issues of the bi-monthly magazine. Headlines and content by me.
BTW, the BritCham motto Building a Better Business Network was my creation; as was Turn On, Tune In and Drop By.

Lotz of Food and Fun at Lotz

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
New Restaurant Hosts an Affair to Remember

By Stephen A. Nelson

March-April, 2006

In Taiwan, guanxi or "relationship" is the key to doing business:

You do business only with people you know. And the best way to get to know people is over food and drink.

So it helps that, in Taiwan, dining out is a national pastime... and new restaurants are always eager to attract your business.

This little blurb not only told readers about a great new place to eat; it also resulted in a new member for the chamber - and a new advertiser for the mag. You could say that the whole dinner affair was quite "satisfying" for everyone.

It's a Kind of Magic - Britannia Ball 2006

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
Taiwan's Expats Dress Up for Premier Gala Event

By Stephen A. Nelson

July-August, 2006

The Britannia Ball is the premiere social event of the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, perhaps the premiere social event in the expat community.

The report in the magazine - following the theme of the event - was supposed to look like a circus poster. But "the best laid schemes o' mice and men..."

Ballad of the Beautiful Isle Rolling on the River with BritCham Chums

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
First-Class Cruise Offers Fun, Food and Fanfare

By Stephen A. Nelson

September-October, 2005

One of the BritCham's most successful social events was a three-hour evening dinner cruise on the Keelung River in Taipei. Featuring food, fun and fanfare... it was so successful that it spawned a sequel.

Here's my verse version of what happened on that voyage - with apologies to the Ballad of Gilligan's Isle.

Travel Taiwan: Six Wonders of Alishan Kayaking Adventures

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
Outdoor Adventures in Taiwan's Outback

By Stephen A. Nelson

September-October, 2005

In carving a niche for itself among the chambers of commerce in Taiwan, BritCham strove to be the "number one social-networking site" for expat and local business people.

To that end, it offered Travel Adventures to members and friends. Sometimes this meant a "weekend getaway" to a famed part of The Beautiful Island such as Mount Ali (Alishan). Other times it involved a day outing to a hidden part of Greater Taipei.

Britain's Cultural Diplomacy: Official Unofficial Diplomats in 'Chinese Taipei'

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
Dancing the Diplomatic Dialectic

By Stephen A. Nelson

March-April, 2006

Due to pressure from China, Taiwan suffers from its persona non grata status in the United Nations, as well as from a lack of international recognition. It has no formal diplomatic ties with Britain.

But Britain does have informal ties with Taiwan, mainly through the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei and The British Council.

This story introduced readers to Britain's two new "unofficial" diplomats.

The Star in the East: Celebrating Scotland's Bard in Taiwan

British Chamber of Commerce (BritCham) Taipei
Scots Lead Celebration Honouring Robert Burns

By Stephen A. Nelson

March-April, 2006

Each year at the end of January, Scots around the world celebrate their national bard: Robert (Rabbie) Burns.

In addition to eating haggis and reading Burns' poetry in the Scots tongue, a key part of the celebrations involves singing a tribute to The Bard. That musical tribute is called The Star of Rabbie Burns.

Given the number of Scots who have lived in Taiwan over the past 150 years, maybe this wasn't the first time that a Burns Supper had been celebrated in Taiwan.

But it was certainly the first time it had been celebrated by the BritCham - and no doubt it was a first for the Taiwanese who joined the feast.

Nelson's Column: Tapei's BritCham Marks Battle of Trafalgar

The Spirit of Christmas Presents