July 2007

Welcome to e-TrueBlue: China, brought to you by the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Our goal is to provide a regular communication to update you on our efforts to build a global program that benefits the University and its faculty, students and alumni.

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Michigan News

China, Hong Kong, Korea events a success

More than 800 alumni, students and friends of U-M attended events in China, Hong Kong and Korea in June, marking the third consecutive year the University has hosted alumni events in China and Hong Kong. The series started with President Mary Sue Coleman’s historic visit in 2005. The Alumni Association organized the travel and events on behalf of Michigan and several programs, working with many departments and regional alumni.

The 2007 U-M delegation included Steve Forrest, vice president for research, who spoke on behalf of President Coleman at the alumni events; Social Work Dean Paula Allen-Meares; LSA Dean Terry McDonald, who signed the U-M-Peking agreements on behalf of the University and LSA; and Steve Grafton, AAUM president and chief executive officer, who presided over the alumni events in China and Hong Kong. They were joined by alumni relations and development staff from their programs who arranged many other meetings with individuals and small groups of alumni at all venues.

Highlights of the trip include:

• In Hong Kong on June 12, more than 175 people came to hear featured speaker Henry Tang, ’75, the financial secretary of Hong Kong who was just appointed chief secretary for that government.
• The featured speaker on June 14 in Shanghai was Professor Jun Ni, dean of the U-M-SJTU Joint Institute. Paul Liu, ’83, executive director and CFO of Shanghai’s legendary Three on the Bund hosted the event there and welcomed the 200 alumni participants.
• US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Clark Randt, JD’75, spoke at the June 16 event in Beijing to more than 200 alumni. Professor James Lee, director of the Center for Chinese Studies, organized a day-long series of events around a signing ceremony to advance joint undergraduate science studies between U-M and Peking University.

AAUM and the Office of the President are planning the 2008 program, tentatively scheduled for immediately following U-M spring commencement. Jo Rumsey, AAUM’s vice president for university relations, welcomes inquiries and comments from interested parties. She can be reached at jorumsey@umich.edu.

For more information about the events in June, please visit our special Web site.

Boat festival growing

More than 20 boats, each with 20 rowers racing to a drummer’s beat, are expected to compete in the September 30 Dragon Boat Festival on the Huron River in Ann Arbor. The festival is open to the public and includes a drum and gong procession through Gallup Park, performances by the high-energy percussion group Groove, Chinese opera-style face painting, Chinese yo-yo spinning, kite-making, calligraphy and food. Hosted by the Center for Chinese Studies as the kickoff of the U-M ChinaNow theme year, the festival will also showcase a Green Challenge with the city of Ann Arbor to promote awareness of natural resources and advocate smarter global partnerships. More information can be found at www.umich.edu/~iinet/ccs/.

Photo contest features China traditions

The Center for Chinese Studies’ second annual photo contest is accepting entries through August 15 at www.umich.edu/~iinet/ccs/. "China: Traditions Old and New" is the theme for this year’s contest, and $500 in cash prizes will be awarded to the non-faculty winners based on subject matter, quality, creativity, originality and how well they capture this year’s theme. Almost 50 entries were received last year from students, faculty and CCS affiliates and can be viewed at the above Web site.

Law School explores ChinaNow

In conjunction with the U-M celebration of the theme year ChinaNow, the U-M Law School will offer courses that include modern Chinese law and legal institutions, China’s modern corporate, securities and investment law and Chinese legal history from the Qin (200 BC) to the early Communist period (1950s). There will also be a workshop on China, the WTO and globalization. Future seminars in Chinese legal studies will include courses focusing on Chinese corporate and securities law and the capital markets, constitutionalism in post-1949 China and Taiwan, Hong Kong in the PRC constitutional framework, and China and human rights. Watch this newsletter for courses and activities at other U-M schools during this theme year.

Alumni Association News

Stay connected with inCircle

inCircle, the Alumni Association’s online directory and networking community for U-M alumni and students, is growing. Use inCircle to connect with old friends, find people who share your interests, find a job, or create a group for U-M alumni who live and work in your region of the world. All you need to get started are a uniqname and password. Don’t have a uniqname? You can register for one online.

Update your University record

The Alumni Association is committed to keeping you informed about our efforts to build a global alumni program. Currently, more than 500 alumni from China and Hong Kong have updated their records. We are better able to meet this goal if your contact information with the University is updated. You can update your University record online at http://alumni.umich.edu/china/AAUMChinaRec.php

Projects and Partnerships

UM-Flint Students Go to China

Since 2003, Dr Weiqi Li of the UM-Flint School of Management has been taking students to Beijing, Shanghai and Jinan. "When I discussed the effects of technology and globalization on [America]..., I found that majority of the students had very narrow view on these issues," he says. His annual three-week class allows them to learn about the Chinese economy and culture by observing it.

This spring, 15 students climbed the Great Wall and visited the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Bund and Yu Garden in Shanghai, Zhou Village and more; Dr. Li, who grew up in Nanjing City, made a good guide. Students also attended lectures on Chinese history, law and the economy at Peking University, Shandong Jianzhu University and East China University of Technology and Science, and discussed issues with business professionals and others. Go online for more on this story.

Undergrad science project launched

Three undergraduate chemistry students from U-M will spend eight weeks at Peking University, while four Peking University students come to U-M this summer, to join ongoing research of faculty members. Since 2001, chemistry department faculty have made annual trips to China to interview prospective graduate students. "We accept graduate students from schools in China all the time, but we have zero experience working with undergraduates," says chemistry professor Dr. Brian P. Coppola, explaining that faculty from both countries saw the value of a globalizing experience for undergraduates.

Coppola says they hope to expand the project to other areas of science and to other schools in China. Four chemistry students and four biochemistry students will go in 2008, and by 2010, other U-M science departments will be included. This is the first time any college has been involved in an exchange of undergraduate students in the basic sciences. The arrangement was recognized at a ceremony at Peking University on June 16 with LSA Dean Terry McDonald signing agreements on behalf of Michigan. For more information, contact Brian Coppola at bcoppola@umich.edu.

Alumni Spotlight

Focus on Paul Liu, ’83

Paul Liu, ’83, an LSA graduate, is part of a three-person team responsible for renovating Shanghai’s Three on the Bund. Through the project, he made a contribution to the cultural, culinary, architectural and artistic life of China. An expert in corporate finance and banking, Liu’s continued involvement in Three on the Bund and his vision for other projects make him a central figure in the life of Shanghai. Read more about his activities and his involvement with U-M online.

Student Spotlight

Meet Doris J. Lu, Yuanqing You (Yoyo)

Doris J. Lu from Beijing and Yuanqing You (Yoyo) from Chongqing City both came to the U-M School of Information in the fall of 2006 to pursue master’s degrees, and both are thriving here. Lu says she is learning not only from first-rate classes but from an exposure to American culture that will serve her in her career. You had the opportunity to do internships in New York City that supplement his U-M education. Read more about them online.

Club News and Events

Alumni leaders honored

The Alumni Association and the University of Michigan extend a most sincere thank-you to the many outstanding alumni and students who worked with us to make the June events in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing such a success. In particular, we wish to recognize the following alumni, friends and students for extraordinary service:

• Fred Lui, ’79 BS, MARCH’81, Cosmetech Mably, Hong Kong
• Grace Suen, ’02, Hong Kong Student Association president
• Daniell Chen, MBA’00, Ferretti Group, Shanghai
• David Zhang, MBA’02, Martec Group, Shanghai
• Paul Liu, ’83, president and CFO, Three on the Bund, Shanghai
• Yifan Tang, MBA’96, CFI, Shanghai
• Professor Hengming Zou, PhD’99, SJTU, and his wife, Leilei Bao, Billion Star Consulting, Shanghai
• Wang Da, incoming U-M PhD student
• Li Li Leung, ’95, Helios China, Beijing
• Jeffrey Li, MBA’98, ESP Equity Partners, Beijing
• Julius Li, MBA’02, AutekBio, Inc. Beijing,
• Melissa Li, MBA’01, Coca-Cola, Beijing
• Sean Zhang, MSE’84, PhD’90, United ITV, and his wife, Charlene Zhu, Ericsson China, Beijing

Photos and more information are available on our Web site.

Local events/contacts

• The Hong Kong Alumni Club invites alumni to bimonthly luncheons at which the young alumni group announces additional upcoming events. Photos from the last meeting can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/umalumnihk/sets/72157600866368129/. For information about upcoming dates, contact umalumni.hkluncheon@gmail.com.
• Ross Business School alumni host monthly happy hours in Shanghai, and all are invited. For more information, visit http://www.shmba.org/.
• For additional alumni contacts in China, please feel welcome to call upon alumni listed at http://alumni.umich.edu/china/contacts.php.

Did You Know?

Facts about China’s economy

Consider these facts from a presentation by Dr. Albert Park, associate professor and associate chair of the U-M Department of Economics, for a meeting of U-M’s Wolverine Caucus with state of Michigan legislators on April 24, 2007:

• China has the second-largest economy in the world using PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) exchange rates.
• The United States and China have accounted for half of global economic growth in the past five years.
• China is the world’s third-largest trading nation.
• China’s export value equals 40 percent of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
• China is the fourth most important market for US exports and is the source of 15 percent of US imports.
• China is the largest recipient of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in the developing world, and the United States has been the third most important source of FDI in China after Hong Kong and Japan.

As the Chinese Relations program continues to evolve, our goal is to update you on our efforts to build a global program that benefits the University and its faculty and students. If you would like to be on the permanent eTrueBlue: China mailing list, please send an email request to cjspiess@umich.edu.

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Alumni Association of the University of Michigan, 200 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor, MI, 734.764.0384, 800.847.4764, m.alumni@umich.edu