Five Managers From the UK Selected for Competitive EU-China Business Training

BEIJING, April 28, 2010 -

    - Selection of Participants for Final Period of the EU-China Managers
      Exchange and Training Programme Completed
    - Competitive Scheme Reports Record-Breaking Number of Applicants
    - Start of the EU-Funded Programme is 17 May 2010

One month prior to the start of the final intake of the EU-China Managers
Exchange and Training Programme (METP), 56 managers from 22 EU member states
have been chosen to become China experts. This fifth intake of the ten-month
programme, that offers in-depth language training and practical experience in
China, has attracted more applicants than ever before. Five executives from
the UK have managed to secure places in this competitive programme. Paul
Morris is looking forward to joining the programme: "I work as producer and
cameraman in the media sector and am very happy that the Sino-European jury
accepted my business plan for a media production company. METP enables me to
learn Chinese and likewise obtain first-hand knowledge to conduct business in
China."

The fully-financed programme offers EU-based companies, especially small
and medium-sized firms (SMEs) that often lack the resources to establish
business relations with China, the possibility to train their employees to
become qualified experts for the foreign market. Ideally, these experts will
utilise their newly acquired skills and contacts to conduct business with
China. "I welcome this programme because it highlights a very important
aspect of the EU-China relationship - confidence in one another. Building
that confidence will be key if we are to continue to develop a deep and
lasting EU-China trade relationship," said EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton during a meeting with the latest
METP participants in Beijing.

The final intake, METP 5, will start for both the European and Chinese
managers on May 17 in Beijing. Stefan Hell, Team Leader of METP, highlights
the uniqueness of the programme: "Since METP is not limited to specific
industries or fields of expertise, it brings together participants with
various backgrounds and enables them to exchange their knowledge and
experience. Thereby, METP provides not only a profound knowledge of the
foreign economy, culture and business ethics, but also functions as a
platform where European and Chinese managers meet and build long-term
relationships."

Besides the organisation of the whole stay in China, the EU covers all
tuition fees and provides participants with a monthly living allowance (1,000
Euros). All graduates receive an official diploma signed by the EU Ambassador
to China and the President of the China Council for the Promotion of
International Trade.

For further information about METP visit www.metp.net.cn or
contact the METP hotline at +49-69-15402-638.

The EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP)
is a five-year intergovernmental cooperation project between the European
Commission and the Government of the People's Republic of China. Placed
within the dynamic context of continuously evolving relations between the EU
and China, the non-profit programme is designed to enhance business expertise
by developing European and Chinese human resources. METP aims to train and
financially support internships for 450 Chinese managers in the EU and
European managers in China. The programme is implemented by the China Council
for the Promotion of International Trade from 2006 to 2011, and total funding
from the EC and the Government of China is 23 million Euros.

    Enquiries:

    Publicis Consultants | Deutschland
    Steffi Fahjen, Tel.: +49-69-154-02-394
    E-Mail: steffi.fahjen@publicis-consultants.de

    www.publicis-consultants.de

Enquiries: Publicis Consultants | Deutschland, Steffi Fahjen, Tel.: +49-69-154-02-394, E-Mail: steffi.fahjen at publicis-consultants.de