From September 8 to 12, AFPC played host to a Chinese delegation led by Hainan Party Secretary Luo Baoming in both Washington, DC and Seattle, Washington. Mr. Luo’s position is roughly equivalent to that of a U.S. Governor, and he also serves on China’s 205-member Central Committee, which elects the Politburo that runs the country -- for which the next election will occur in 2017.
The visit was unique in that no Chinese Party Secretary has traveled on an official delegation to the U.S. in over half a decade. As such, it served as an opportunity for U.S. policymakers to become better acquainted with a major voice in Chinese politics.
The Chinese delegation also included officials from the International Department of the CPC, as well as top business executives from Hainan airlines and the Evergrande Group.
During the DC portion of the delegation’s trip, AFPC hosted a welcome dinner in the U.S. Capitol Building’s Hugh Scott Room. Guests included former Under Secretaries of State William Schneider and Richard McCormack; former Under Secretary of Defense Dov Zakheim; former Pentagon Inspector General Joseph Schmitz; and, assorted Senate staff. AFPC also arranged meetings for the delegation with the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce The Hon. Bruce Andrews, , and with House of Representatives U.S.-China Working Group Co-Chairs Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL-18) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02).
and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) after an AFPC arranged meeting in Washington, D.C.
The delegation then traveled to Seattle to meet with current Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Gov. Gary Locke, who also served as U.S. Ambassador to China. AFPC accompanied the delegation on a tour of the Microsoft facility that housed a simulation of future technology and a Boeing airline assembly plant.
At the trip’s conclusion, Secretary Luo invited AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr. to attend the Boao Forum held on Hainan Island in March 2017. Attended by top leadership in government, academia, and the business sector, the forum is designed to promote trade and cooperation with Asia.
