Good morning everyone, I am Ms Look teacher of S3 and S4 Liberal Studies.  I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a magazine published in Beijing.  With rapid economic growth in the last three decades, China has been undergoing drastic changes in all aspects.  As a Liberal Studies student taking module 3: Modern China in Hong Kong, you may find it a bit difficult to become engaged with and to have full understanding of recent developments in China.   Then China Today Magazine can be a sure and reliable guide giving you a lot of updated information covering the society, culture and economy of China.

About a year ago, I saw this magazine in a bookshop and found it very informative and relevant to the syllabus of NSS Liberal Studies. With help from our librarian, our school then started subscribing to this monthly magazine.

Let me take the December 2009 issue as an example.  I like the article which is about the Community-supported agriculture scheme (CSA) in China.  You know, in recent years, many mainlanders, the middle and upper class in particular have become health conscious showing great concern for food safety, standards and overall quality. The CSA is a farmers’ market with a delivery service on the one hand and a community united by health concerns on the other.  Many of these farms are in Beijing and were started by young returned students.  They try to provide consumers with safe and organic products.

How does this scheme work?  Consumers have to pay the farmers in advance and then execute orders for healthy and pesticide-free vegetables.  Boxes of fresh peanuts, fresh-season vegetables like sweet potatoes will arrive at the consumers’ doorway every weekend.  In this way, consumers and farmers have direct contact with each other and establish friendly, trusting and loyal relations.  Does the story sound amazing?  If you want to know more about eco-farming, Super Rice man Yuan Longping and agribusiness, you should read China Today.

Perhaps some of you may feel a bit hesitant to read an English magazine.  I am sure S3 and S4 students should have no problem in reading through the articles.  Except for some jargon and specific terms, the magazine is simple enough for secondary school students. I really encourage all of you to come to the library during lunch break and borrow China Today Magazine.