Dutch expats and Dutch citizens traveling in Beijing at the end of the month won't have to miss celebrations around the investiture of the Prince of Orange, Willem-Alexander, when Queen Beatrix abdicates the throne on April 30. The Dutch embassy in Beijing will host a reception for its nationals and guests, in collaboration with the Dutch School, the Dutch Association and Dutch businesses in Beijing. Large screens will show a live broadcast from the Netherlands.

Germany and France have been celebrating 50 years of postwar peace, codified in the Elysee Treaty that was a landmark of friendship after two world wars. The two countries' embassies in China have marked the occasion in a series of events. The latest: A demonstration flight this week of the Eurocopter, a French-German joint venture, to highlight the importance of helicopters in emergency medical services. French ambassador Sylvie Bermann and German ambassador Michael Schaefer took a joint flight over the capital on Wednesday, after telling the assembled media that their countries were eager to share their experience in civilian helicopter operations with China.

The Norwegian embassy announced an opening reception for Bergen-based artist Erik Steffen Alvaer and his first solo exhibition in China. Alvaer has been described as an expressionistic painter, and The Moment is a mixed-media exhibition that mixes visual elements from Western art history with Chinese ornaments and popular culture. The Chinese influence comes from his previous stays in China, especially Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The exhibition is on display until April 15 at F10 Iron Curtain Gallery in Guangzhou.

Science counsellors of EU member states, the EU delegation and representatives from Euraxess Links China were invited to present research and innovation collaboration opportunities offered by their respective programs at the Chinese Academy of Sciences last week. Around 200 participants from CAS institutes and administrations attended. The European visitors got a guided tour of the CAS Academic Hall and a lively presentation of CAS history. CAS officials and professors Tan Tieniu, Cao Jinghua and Liu Minghua spoke about CAS research activities, innovation strategies and international collaboration with Europe.

Sweden's embassy in China announced that Swedish Nobel Laureate Tomas Transtromer will be honored in Hong Kong at the biannual festival of international poets. New translations of Transtromer's works will be published and presented at a festival event at City University on April 9. Translator Chen Maiping will participate and recite some of the newly translated poems. The program also includes an audio presentation of poetry and music by the Nobel laureate.

The embassy of Sweden and the China National Textile and Apparel Council will present a new case study on China's textile industry at trade shows in Beijing on April 9 and Shanghai on April 11. The programs will focus on how corporate social responsibility trends in Chinese manufacturing industries may affect businesses and stakeholders. More information is available at www.swedenabroad.com.

Send embassy news to michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/05/2013 page31)