Ambassador Villarreal Promotes Expo in Guangzhou and Xiamen

U.S. Commissioner General to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo José Villarreal visited Guangzhou and Xiamen from June 23–26 to get a taste of south China while spreading excitement about the U.S. Pavilion.  These two cities were the first stops on Ambassador Villarreal’s tour of China outside Shanghai.

While in Guangzhou, Ambassador Villarreal and Consul General Brian Goldbeck met with Vice Mayor Xu Ruisheng and the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC) to exchange thoughts on hosting internationally-oriented events like the World Expo and the Asian Games.  Ambassador Villarreal shared his appreciation for the pride Guangzhou feels in hosting the Games.  Both Ambassador Villarreal and CG Goldbeck offered their support in furthering the Asian Games’ goal of securing a new level of multi-cultural exchange.  In friendly conversation, Ambassador Villarreal added how he greatly enjoyed the dim sum and local cuisines of Guangzhou.

Ambassador Villarreal also met with university professors and students in a Townhall at the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou.  He discussed how he was named to the role of Commissioner General and his leadership at the U.S. Pavilion as a volunteer Ambassador.  Villarreal also highlighted the Student Ambassador Program at the Pavilion, which employs 150 American students fluent in Mandarin to guide guests through the U.S. exhibits.  Ambassador Villarreal noted that this year’s U.S. Pavilion’s exhibits, guides and food enable visitors not only to see culture and art, but more importantly to actually acquaint themselves with American people and thought.  Throughout his travels in Guangzhou, which included a tour of Huangpu Port, a visit to Xiaozhou Village and the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, a Pearl River cruise, and a guided visit of Sam’s Club in Panyu, Ambassador Villarreal enthusiastically encouraged everyone to attend the World Expo and the U.S. Pavilion.

During his visit to Xiamen, Ambassador Villarreal participated in a roundtable discussion with American Studies graduate students from Xiamen University on the topic of “Diversity in America and the U.S. Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.”  Pointing to the critical role migration has played in the history of the United States, Villarreal shared stories with the students about his own experience as an American with Mexican family heritage.  In addition to hosting a press conference with key media outlets in Xiamen, Villarreal also met with Party Secretary Yu Weiguo and Vice Mayor Zhan Cangzhou, and engaged in a discussion of a number of topics related to the theme of the World Expo, “Better Cities, Better Life,” including the importance of historic preservation.  Villarreal followed his meetings the next day with a visit to Gulangyu, which included stops at the former U.S. Consulate and a Chinese traditional puppet show.