reported
by: Kenn Delbridge
photos by: AES Singapore Section Members
AES Inc had a booth at CALM (China Audio Light & Music)
2004 show in Beijing from 30th May till 2nd June 2004. CALM 2004 is
the biggest
show in China and has over 98,000 registered visitors, including foreign
visitors, over a four-day period. Over 1,000 local Chinese and overseas
companies exhibited, occupying a floor area exceeding 50,000 square meters
spread over 9 cavernous halls at the China International Exhibition Center
in Beijing. CALM is the second biggest show in the world for the professional
Audio, Light and Music Industry in terms of visitors and floor space
occupied.
Some members of the
Singapore Section volunteered their time to man the booth at the four-day
event, an effort that was spearheaded
by Singapore
Section Chairman, section officers and committee members. The Singapore
Section members flew there on their own expenses and time, including
hotel accommodation and transport, to publicize AES in China for the
four-day period, they did not claim for any reimbursement or any expenses
incurred in Beijing from AES HQ and the Singapore Section.
The AES booth had an endless flow of visitors including South Asians
and Indo-Chinese. Most Chinese visitors were hungry for knowledge,
for technical information in general and for the AES in particular.
The Singapore
Section members who volunteered their time almost lost their voice
after the show from talking non-stop over 4 days to visitors who came
to the
AES booth.
There is tremendous
potential for AES to develop and expand its membership base in China
because of the large number of professional Audio
equipment manufacturers and Audio research institutes among the
prestigious universities
in China. Apart from that, many leading world-class companies in
telecommunication, sound reinforcement and audio entertainment
are establishing factories,
laboratories and research centers in China. The Chinese government
is also spearheading research in numerous audio fields. AES will
be left
out in the lurch in the next decade if it neglects China, as it
is certainly the biggest source for new members.
All of the copies of the recent AES Journals and souvenirs were
snapped up by the third day of the show, given to members and newly
applicants.
Ten visitors signed
up for AES membership and paid in cash in local currency. The Singapore
Section members encouraged online applications,
but there
is a catch with online applications because of the strict Chinese
foreign currency controls and the absence or difficulties of
owning foreign
currency credit or bank cards in China. A solution must be found
in order for
the AES to expand its membership base in this huge market. Singapore
Section chairman, Arthur Ngiam, graciously arranged a short-term
solution during CALM 2004 by collecting payment in Chinese currency
and sending
his personal USD bank cheques to AES HQ for payment for these
membership applications. In doing so, he donated his personal
time and postage,
but the society needs to solve this long-term problem or risk
missing out on possibly the biggest growth opportunity for the
next decade.
| Pictures |
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| AES Singapore Section member explaining benefits of AES membership
to enthusiast visitors eager to sign up for membership |
Chairman of AES Singapore Section
with newly signed up AES Members |
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