American business has
been highly criticized for
having a short range pro
spectus. Some may argue
that this limited view is the
prime chimera gnawing
away at America's indus
trial might. On the other
hand, my business experi
ence with Oriental business
people revealed that they
are hell-bent on long range
stratetic plans and their
short term tactical efforts
merely complement these
long-term objectives. I saw
this scenario replayed once
again when a delegation of
provincial governors from
The Peoples Republic of
China visited the tiny state
of Delaware seeking mo
dern technology and new
sources of needed goods
and services.
Since five governors
made up the Communist
Chinese contingent, the
state of Delaware called
upon its present and past
chief executives to ex
change gifts with these
visitors. Governor Michael
Castle opened the cere
mony by setting the tone
that each gift would repre
sent a significant product
or service that the Chinese
desired and Delaware pro
duced. These gifts covered
industries from lumber to
poultry to chemicals. Ne
vertheless, Delaware
seized upon this historic
opportunity to promote its
tourism industry.
The Delaware governors
made every effort to draw
links between The
Republic of China
and Delawareans. Former
governor Sherman TribMtt
pointed out that a Dela
warean was teaching En
glish at one of China’s me
cftcal colleges He also took
credit for fostering the
career of Delaware’s Lt.
Governor S. B. Woo, the
highest ranking Chinese
American elected official
in the United States
—
I
• -• •
*
- •
pared script. Governor
Boggs presented a Dela
ware Blue Hen to Gover
nor Zhao Zengyi of Jiangxi
Province. He summarized
the significant improve
ments in productivity that
Delaware’s poultry indus
try has made. Governor
Boggs said we had been
able to raise the weight of
chickens from 3 to 4.5
pounds and decrease the
growth period from 90 to 49
days while reducing the
feed per pound of meat
from 4 to 1.95 pounds. His
comments had special sig
nificance because the five
Chinese governors repre
sent approximately 200
million people.
As I watched each Chi
nese governor present his
gift to his Delaware coun
terpart, I felt compelled to
understand the symbolism
behind their gifts. I que
ried the head of the Chi
nese delegation, Governor
Lian Buting of Sandong
Province, engaging his as
sistance in helping me un
derstand. I was quickly
reminded of the interna
tional importance of this
occasion as I stood patient
ly listening to both white
American and Chinese in
terpreters carefully ex
plain my questions to Go
vernor Buting. Governor
| Call W-——I
Buting spoke of their gifts
as displaying products of
his people’s efforts. His
words confirmed the emo
tion that Governor Zengyi
radiated when he gave a
copper teapot versus pos
sibly a sterling silver plat
ter considering his pro
vince ranks first in China’s
production of silver. I con
cluded that the Chinese
governors were not inte
rested in giving flashy tri
vial gifts but they desired
to offer items that were
indicative of the true spi
rit of the Chinese people.
In retrospect, I think the
Chinese governors’ visit to
Delaware did highlight the
fact that Asian Americans
are a significant resource
for America’s Oriential
thrust. American Chinese
students from the Univer
sity of Delaware and a lo
cal high school translated
the Delaware governors’
messages for the Chinese
I-——— --
governors. Lt. Governor
Woo was the true link be
tween both sides because
he made his presentations
in both English and Chi
nese and he understood the
subtle nuances of both the
Chinese and the American
cultures. He also seemed to
have an excellent rapport
with the Chinese gover
nors.
I hope the theme of this
historic event truly repre
sents America’s ability to
work productively with go
vernments of radically dif
ferent philosophical slants.
Will the historians record,
“From China To Delaware
- The Meeting of Governors
for Friendship” as a hand
shake of prosperity be
tween state governments of
China and the United
States? Will ethnic Ame
ricans be fully utilized to
help America better com
pete in the new internation
al business arena of to
morrow?
THE
. Charlotte Pott
Our Name Speaks for Itself
ATHUTC
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