CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION Monday, August 27, 2018 CHINA 7

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Trainees take acrobatics skills home FUJIAN Dying man drives School in Wuqiao, Hebei province, has trained nearly 400 foreigners since 2002 coach to safety A bus driver, surnamed Chen, By ZHANG YU “Acrobatics is a universal who experienced severe chest in Wuqiao, Hebei art,” Qi said. “People from any pain while driving on an [email protected] place around the globe — expressway in Fuzhou on Aug young or old — can enjoy it, 13 died shortly after driving Another batch of trainee without barriers of language, his 12 passengers to safety. acrobats from developing politics or geography.” Chen phoned colleagues for countries left China this In addition to students help and drove for 30 minutes month after studying for a from developing countries along the Yongchun­Fuzhou year at the Hebei Wuqiao who visit Wuqiao through expressway before stopping Acrobatic Art School. cultural exchange programs, the bus at a service station, Bilal Fofanah, 15, from acrobatics enthusiasts from which was safer than stopping Freetown, capital of Sierra countries such as the United on the side of the road. Chen, Leone, was one of them. He States, Finland, Mexico and about 50, collapsed after get­ said he was excited to be Bulgaria also enroll at the ting off the bus, and an ambu­ going home but sad to be leav­ school. lance crew was unable to ing Wuqiao county, in north­ “Somehow they had heard revive him. He had been a ern China’s Hebei province, about or watched Chinese driver for more than two dec­ which is regarded as the cra­ acrobatics and decided to ades. dle of Chinese acrobatics. come,” Qi said. FUZHOU DAILY The school has trained But problems have nearly 400 foreign students emerged as growing numbers GUIZHOU from 23 developing countries of international students Boy is bitten by since 2002, when a cultural acquire acrobatic skills from sneaky monkey exchange program was Two students from Africa practice on rotating Cyr wheels at the Hebei Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY China. launched by the Ministry of Qi said most of the foreign A 2­year­old boy had to be Culture and the Ministry of students arrived in China as rushed to the hospital for teta­ Commerce. However, con­ can perform amazing acro­ director of the school’s inter­ individuals, rather than as nus and rabies shots after he cerns have been expressed batic feats, such as juggling national exchange program, members of acrobatics was bitten by a monkey that about their career prospects hats and controlling a rotat­ said Tesfaye had used what he troupes, which made it hard­ had sneaked into his family’s after they leave. ing Cyr wheel. learned in China to found an er to sustain careers after they fourth­floor apartment in Gui­ Before Bilal arrived in “I like the feeling of per­ acrobatics school in his home­ left. yang on Aug 19. The child had Wuqiao, he was a middle forming on a stage when land that now has more than “Most acrobatics shows a 3­centimeter gash to his school student who practiced audiences cheer and applaud 100 students and teachers. need to be performed by a head. His grandmother, sur­ hip­hop dancing. “It was the my movements,” Bilal said. He “Tesfaye and his students team,” he said. “It’s hard for named Xu, said she ran from Chinese kung fu films I was keen to show people back have brought Chinese acro­ one student to carry out a the kitchen to the bedroom watched that attracted me home and in other countries batics to Africa and Europe in whole performance, which after hearing crying and found here,” he said, mentioning what he had learned, but said the past decade in circus tours makes it hard for the student the monkey attacking her martial arts stars such as he wished he could have and have performed various to find work with a circus and grandson. The animal, Jackie Chan. stayed in Wuqiao longer to acrobatics shows,” said Mu, easy for him or her to give up believed to be from a nearby He started to learn acrobat­ learn more. who has kept in touch with the career.” wildlife park, escaped through ics as a hobby at 13 when a “I miss home but I don’t Tesfaye. To tackle the problem and a window. Xu urged authori­ friend got to know an acrobat want to leave China,” he said. Qi Zhiyi, vice­president of allow more acrobats have the ties to do more to control the and persuaded him they A foreign student hones her skills at the school. There were 35 internation­ the Hebei Wuqiao Acrobatic opportunity to learn Chinese park animals to prevent simi­ should learn together. al students — from Tanzania, Art School, who has been acrobatics, the Hebei Wuqiao lar incidents. Bilal said he thought acro­ Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and engaged in acrobatics train­ Acrobatic Art School is estab­ KANKANNEWS.COM bats were just as cool as mar­ ice he ached all over after is greatly valued and can be Laos — on his one­year course ing for 34 years, said, “The tra­ lishing branches in foreign tial art stars, but his parents practicing basic skills like taught well in China,” he said. at the school in Wuqiao, ditional art form is one of the countries including Laos, disapproved. “They scolded somersaulting and hand­ Like other students, Bilal which attracts dozens of most important cultural Ethiopia and Sierra Leone. me for learning useless stands. started training at 8 am each international students each bridges connecting people “We will send acrobatic things, complaining that I Yet their attitude toward day and would spend about year. from countries across the teachers and cooperate with couldn’t bring any fortune to acrobatics changed when six hours a day practicing Ethiopian Yeneneh Tesfaye, world.” local counterparts to cultivate the family by performing Bilal was chosen for the one­ basic skills and different cir­ 35, was one of the earliest for­ He said Chinese acrobats skilled acrobats, especially acrobatics,” he said. year course in China. “They’re cus acts. eign students, studying acro­ are regarded as among the troupes,” Qi said. His parents also criticized supportive now because they Through hard work and batics in Wuqiao from 2004 to best in the world in terms of Students coming to Wuqiao him for not helping with the know I may have a future in willpower, after a year’s learn­ 2006. technique, performance as a team will also be pre­ housework, because as a nov­ acrobatics, since the art form ing and practicing Bilal now Mu Hongyuan, deputy design and apparatus. ferred, he said.

Knowledge city shines as beacon of innovation Closer bonds formed at international forum By Chen Hong in Guangzhou improved transportation [email protected] network and efficient opera- tions, which ensure SSGKC The Sino-Singapore Guang- will be an ideal destination By Yuan Shenggao ate an international industry zhou Knowledge City is for investment,” the official innovation hub in the Guang- expected to attract a further added. The Sino-Singapore Know- dong-Hong Kong-Macao influx of dynamic investment SSGKC is designed to cover ledge Forum was held in the Greater Bay Area, the center and professionals — thanks a total greenfield area of 123 city-state at the Four Seasons is planned to be built at the to closer cooperation just sq km. But about half of the Hotel on Friday, when officials Sino-Singapore Guangzhou announced between the Lion area has been earmarked for and top executives from both Knowledge City and leverage city and the southern Chinese urban use, during the 15 to sides signed numerous agree- its research and development coastal province of Guang- 20 year development period ments. resources to achieve break- dong. from the 2010 ground-break- It was the first time that the throughs in core chip tech- Officials said SSGKC’s ing ceremony, while the oth- annual event has been held in nologies, local officials said. importance continues to er half will be preserved as Singapore. Previously, it had The Sino-Singapore Guang- grow, and the iconic project green spaces. been hosted in Guangzhou, zhou Knowledge City is locat- for Sino-Singaporean col- Ultimately, the knowledge Guangdong province for the ed in the Guangzhou Develop- laboration since 2010 will city will house a population past five years. ment District. soon be elevated to the sta- of 500,000 and become a As a flagship project of the The Guangzhou Develop- tus of a State-level bilateral vibrant place for all to “live, Sino-Singapore Guangzhou ment District Talent Work project. work, learn and play”, its Knowledge City, an example Group and the East Asian Situated at the heart of designers have said. of bilateral cooperation, the Institute at National Univer- Pearl River Delta Region and To date, the project’s start- SSKF is currently the only sity of Singapore also signed in a massive greenfield site in Ong Ye Kung, education minister of Singapore, delivers a keynote speech at the Sino-Singapore up phase, with an area of 6.27 high-level forum that is now a strategic cooperation agree- the southern city of Guang- Knowledge Forum in Singapore on Friday. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY sq km, has been substantially taking turns to be held in Chi- ment during the meeting. zhou, SSGKC is widely seen completed. na and Singapore, its organiz- Both parties agreed to as a model and catalyst for According to official fig- ers said. enhance connectivity to the economic transformation gapore on hot-button topics research and development for the knowledge city and ures, more than 1,000 com- Themed “forging new fron- create an internationally and the industrial upgrade concerning the practices of activities as well as global for Huangpu district, where panies have registered with tiers — all-round opening-up renowned think tank brand of the province as a global bilateral collaboration. operations. SSGKC is located. SSGKC since 2010, with an and innovation-driven devel- together, by pooling the ideas producer of cheaper goods On the same day in Sin- The innovation center proj- aggregate registered capital opment”, this year’s forum was of experts, planning research to high-end and cutting-edge gapore, memorandums of ect also involves a third part- Dynamic, high-value city of nearly 110 billion yuan designed to tap the collective and holding a series of activi- production. understanding and strate- ner, Ascendas Onehub GKC, “SSGKC has developed into ($16.1 billion) and about 82 intelligence of think tanks, ties such as forums, meetings At a total site area of 123 gic cooperation agreements which runs about 600,000 a knowledge economy cen- billion yuan in fixed assets. experts and business leaders and seminars to promote square kilometers, it is being were signed at the annual square meters of residential ter driven by innovation with Five high-end industrial from China and Singapore. exchanges. developed in a series of phas- meeting of the Singapore- and commercial floor space global competitiveness and a parks — that focus on new- At the event, trending topics The projects are expected to es over the 15-20 years start- Guangdong Collaboration in SSGKC. desirable place to work and generation information were explored during panel contribute to the knowledge ing from 2010. Council, an official body co- According to the agree- live,” a leading official of the technology, AI, biomedi- discussions regarding future city’s sustainable growth and The officials added that chaired by Ma Xingrui, gov- ment, Neuron plans to launch city said. cines, new energy and new cooperation and development join its already considerable both the Chinese and Singa- ernor of Guangdong and Ong the pilot project in SSGKC to Located in the core area of materials — have been built between the two countries, facilities. porean governments have Ye Kung, education minister test out transportation solu- the Guangdong-Hong Kong- in SSGKC. the organizers said. The China National Intel- agreed to deepen their col- of Singapore. tions to the “last mile” prob- Macao Greater Bay Area, A large number of interna- An estimated 250 guests lectual Property Administra- laboration in terms of scien- The new projects, which lem in China. SSGKC is 25 kilometers from tional and domestic leading from Singapore and China tion has established a patent tific innovation, intellectual cover several sectors includ- The so-called last mile issue Guangzhou Baiyun Interna- enterprises have settled in attended, following the Singa- examination cooperation cen- property rights, financial ing artificial intelligence, refers to a common concern tional Airport and almost 35 SSGKC. These include Gen- pore-Guangdong Collabora- ter within the knowledge city. services, personnel exchang- smart travel and training, will of metro commuters, after km from downtown Guang- eral Electric, BeiGene, Inno- tion Council’s ninth meeting, The facility contributed one- es, industrial development give a powerful boost to the they get out of a subway exit zhou, Guangdong’s capital. care, CanSemi, China Tele- which was held the morning fifth of the total number of and community manage- development of SSGKC, local and face walking the last Besides the completion of com, China Mobile, China of the same day. annual patent examinations ment. officials said. stretch to their offices. a subway network linking Unicom, Siemens, Carl Zeiss, A series of agreements were processed in China. Part of their collaborative During the meeting, Sin- Also on the same site, the SSGKC to the rest of Guang- Alibaba Cloud, Greatoo Intel- signed during the meeting. In addition, SSGKC is also efforts, the Sino-Singapore gapore-based e-scooter shar- SSGKC Administrative Com- zhou by the end of this year, ligent and Focus Media. Among them was a memo- the first in China to set up a Knowledge Forum, was held ing service provider Neuron mittee signed an important in the future the area will In 2016, the State Council randum of understanding for national-level Belt and Road in Singapore for the first time Mobility signed an agreement agreement with the SSGKC also be connected to other gave its approval for SSGKC the development of an inter- Intellectual Property Services on Friday. with Sino-Singapore Guang- Investment and Development cities and provinces by eight to carry out reforms and national artificial intelligence Center. The event was a strategic zhou Knowledge City Invest- Co to carry out a three-year rail lines, five roads and sev- experiments in the utiliza- innovation center funded by Together with an IP-ded- and SSGKC-hosted summit ment and Development Co, training program. en urban expressways. tion and protection of IP TUS Financial Group from icated court and provincial promoting dialogue between a joint venture operator, to This aims to learn from “We have favorable loca- rights, to help foster a busi- China and Ascendas-Sing- centers for IP protection and government officials, aca- set up a smart urban mobil- Singapore’s advanced experi- tions, a strong research ness-friendly environment bridge Group from Singapore. services, the facilities have demics and entrepreneurs ity innovation center in the ence and successful practic- institute, a State-level pilot that respects and protects In response to the Chinese helped SSGKC create a com- from Guangdong and Sin- knowledge city to support its es, to train top professionals zone for IP protection and IP values. government’s drive to cre- prehensive IP system.

The section is sponsored by the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City.