CG Goldbeck Visits North and West Hainan

CG Goldbeck Visits North and West Hainan

Consul General Goldbeck made his sixth trip to Hainan January 18-20 to learn about the region's development.  The trip marked his first visit to the cities of Yangpu and Dongfang. 

Throughout his trip, CG Goldbeck explored trade opportunities for US firms, and promoted US-China academic and cultural exchanges. 

Starting in Haikou, CG Goldbeck visited the Eastern American industrial park to discuss the business environment in Hainan for US companies.  Company President Clark Friedman and GM Henley Lee gave tours of various factories located within the industrial park.  Following this visit, CG Goldbeck toured the National Institute for South China Sea Studies’ newly constructed facilities.

In order to gain a better sense of trade and investment opportunities for US firms, CG Goldbeck met with officials from the Yangpu Development Zone.  While in Yangpu, he toured the Indonesian-owned APP Papermaking Factory.  He inquired about their business practices, including the company’s efforts to protect Yangpu and Hainan’s environment.  Though economic cooperation is currently limited in the Yangpu Development Zone, CG Goldbeck discussed with Commissioner Vice-Director Wang Qingyi ways to increase commercial opportunities.

Following Yangpu, CG Goldbeck visited the city of Dongfang on the west coast of Hainan.  He began with a visit to two local Li Minority Villages to gain a greater understanding of the local culture.  The Consul General wrote in his blog that he was impressed with Li culture, and he feels that preservation of the Li “rich culture, music, dress, foods, etc. could be  one of Hainan’s tourism strengths.”

After visiting the Dongfang Railway Museum that also houses an exhibit about the US-China joint military “Pigeon Mission” parachute landing in August 1945 that rescued hundreds of Chinese, Australian and Dutch prisoners, the CG met with Dongfang leaders to learn more about the town’s economic development plans.  This part of the trip included a meeting with representatives from the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.  Though this is CG Goldbeck's sixth visit to Hainan, it surely will not be his last.