Giles Blackburne

(Co-Chair, Association for Speakers of Chinese as a Second Language)

I graduated in Chinese Studies at the Polytechnic of Central London in 1989. During my course I spent two years in China – 1986-1987 at Zhongshan University, Guangzhou and 1987-1988 at Fu Jen University, Taipei. I lectured in Chinese Politics & Economics at the University of Glasgow between 1991 and 1994, before establishing China-Britain Business Council’s office in Glasgow. I worked for CBBC until 2001, then went back to university, to set up a Chinese Studies programme at the University of Abertay Dundee. In 2005, I re-joined China-Britain Business Council as their manager in Leeds, from where I provide advice to Yorkshire companies interested in the Chinese market. I am passionate about popularising the study of China and Chinese and giving credit to those that have made the effort to learn the language.