by Simone Prak Today I was out early for the Tea and Cheese Pairing, organized by VNC. The location was the Verhalenhuis Belvédère in Katendrecht, the first Chinatown in Europe. The pairing was provided by tea sommeliers Joyce van der Zalm and Ameing Tang. Four authentic Chinese teas and four
During the China Café on 2 March in Utrecht, a highly topical and much-debated theme took center stage: investing in China. The evening was opened with warm wishes to the audience for the start of the new Year of the Fire Horse, after which the discussion shifted to the key
by Astrid Bouwman For the sixth edition of the VNC Dining Club, January 23, 2026, we returned to Amsterdam, its bustling De Pijp district – a neighborhood that undoubtedly boasts the highest concentration of restaurants from every corner of the globe. Our choice for the evening was the cuisine of
David Zee On Sunday 25 January, VNC and InBetweeners (a community of curious Chinese people who come together to explore cross-sector topics they care about), hosted a well-attended and inspiring event at Verhalenhuis Belvédère in Rotterdam, exploring the history and lived experiences of the Chinese diaspora in the Netherlands. Through
VNC Event Report Introduction and Opening The session was opened by Lianne Baaij, explaining the goal of this event; exploring how traditional Chinese health principles continue to shape daily routines and wellbeing in contemporary China and how we can learn from this in the Netherlands. She emphasized that in contemporary
The edition of the China Café of 15 December 2025, moderated by Cindy Shao and presented by Lianne Baaij, brought rare clarity to one of the most complicated and politically charged business files in the Netherlands: the Nexperia affair. In conversation with Charles Smit, former General Counsel and Head of
by Astrid Bouwman After a break of several months, there was another edition of the VNC eating club on December 12. This time in Leiden, at restaurant Asian Palace. This time, the call had brought together a full table of twelve lovers of Cantonese food from all over the country.
Stronger Together: Celebrating 20 Years of ACIEN and 50 Years of EU–China Relations. On 27 November 2025, nearly 200 guests gathered at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel at Schiphol for the annual China Network Event, co-organised by VNC, ACIEN, and NCBC. The evening marked two major milestones: 20 years of ACIEN
Last Sunday, the VNC organized a cheerful Sinterklaas afternoon — and what a wonderful party it was! For many children it was the very first time that they could experience Sinterklaas together with mom and dad. Saint Nicholas was visibly delighted to see so many Chinese children, and their enthusiasm
