I can certainly confirm it.

Hi Kate, I know that some countries and orgs find Khat harmful, but the point is that the UK government's own studies, performed by specially appointed and well qualified personnel, concluded otherwise and recommended NOT banning it. Yet the UK bans it anyway. What other countries and organizations find, is completely irrelevant. My pondering on this subject is not medical, but political.

Sweden was exporting Guillotines to Irak only a few years ago, I think they stopped now. And Denmark exported the lethal injections, also recently stopped (2014?). Nobody's innocent.

I recently read that the UK is now going to ban Khat, and call it a class C narcotic substance - despite the fact that the governments own research shows no harmful effects. So who's pulling the strings there? Seems like it's disgruntled Somali wives?

Regarding the comment "Death penalty for all drug users... just execute all drug users since they serve no purpose in any society.". Serving a purpose in society is not a prerequisite for the right to live. If it was, well, I think most of us would not be around..

Its the British Consulate General and the British Council who are sponsoring this, not a "UKTI". The UKTI youre talking about is not mentioned but the contact email given is to the FCO, which in turn is part funded by the "UKTI" (as well as the british secret service MI6).
I have no problem with the events. What i do have a problem with is western consulates - with a mission to serve all citizens - bending over backwards for the corporations but dont give a monkeys about the small guy. Of course the corporations are more important but we're not talking about an 80:20 division - its 100:0. Im not running for any elections, but i guarantee y'all that if i had the task of providing support to British individuals and busineses, I'd be banging on Lightnings door and asking "is there anything i can do for you, sir?". To compare "UKTI" with the US embassy is apples and pears, and in any case, just because the US embassy ignores (according to laotou) its citizens does'nt make it ok. Or?
Ive been an expat for 30 years and started small businesses in 3 foreign countries. I've seen this a hundred times. This event in my view is yet another example of a western TRADING organization freeriding on the back of a willing CITIZEN organization. Did they bring anything that the local expats can be proud about, point at and say to the chinese "this is where i come from"? With gimmicks, bad food, chinese photography, and raucous advertising (british culinary delights, british whisky - are u for real?) I'd doubt it.

Thats my view, its harsh, but its formed through experience. Maybe its also wrong.

Dazzer, Yankee

Exactly. And what i mean is - why are'nt they trying to please the palate of local expats? Its the other way around yankee - its the local expats who promote the home country, not the pompous empty suits. Seems to me like they're very interested in forming new relationships, but dont care a hoot about maintaining a relationship, even with fellow landsmen. A "butterfly".

As for the business side, Lightning who wrote above seems to me exactly the kind of person they need to talk to, yet he didnt even know about the event despite being registered.

If i was a Chinese businessman at these events, i would'nt trust 'em as far as i could throw 'em. I'd probably trust Lightning, though.