Kelvin Bloom is in his second term as chairman of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

I recently returned from a week in China, accompanying Governor Lingle in Beijing and Shanghai.  All of the dynamic stories I’ve been hearing and reading about for some years, and the incredible potential this burgeoning country offers all came to vivid life for me from the moment I stepped out of Beijing International Airport.

There’s no substitute to being there and that’s certainly true in this case.

After a couple of fruitful days in Beijing and shortly after landing in Shanghai, Governor leaned over to me and said “Kelvin, Shanghai is like New York on steroids.”  She’s right.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived in a number of different countries but have never experienced the level of energy, optimism, and activity of Shanghai.

As reported in the China Daily News about our recent visit, “Hawaii is looking to China’s growing outbound tourism market as a much needed new gold mine for visitors to our islands.”

The publication went on to quote Governor Lingle as saying, “With a nine percent increase in GDP in the third quarter, China’s continuing economic recovery is critical to the recovery worldwide, as well as to Hawaii’s economy.  It is important for Hawaii to continue to strengthen our partnership with China so that our local businesses have the opportunity to capitalize on this large, emerging market.”

The state’s initiative to diversify Hawaii’s visitor market began several years ago and continues today with the recent trip to China to encourage travel to our islands.

I was fortunate to take part in the discussions with travel writers, travel sellers, the U.S. Embassy in China and with the China National Tourism Association (CNTA) chairman Shao Qi Wei.

Our tourism agenda included maximizing opportunities for Chinese tourists to travel to Hawaii.  Hawaii welcomed about 10,000 Chinese visitors a year in the 1990s and that jumped to 30,000 by 1998 and doubled to nearly 60,000 last year.

And with a daily per person per day expenditure of $324, the Chinese were our highest spending visitors in 2008.  This compares most favorably to our largest market, visitors from the U.S. West at $146 and our high spending Japanese at $288.

At a luncheon meeting in Beijing, I talked to a Chinese visitor who spent in excess of $100,000 in retail shopping alone during her last visit to the U.S.

We are hopeful to welcome to our island state 100,000 visitors in 2010, thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding which allowed for increased group leisure travel from China to the United States commencing in June of last year.

We believe our goal of 100,000 visitors in 2010 is achievable, in part, due to Hainan Airlines’ approval from the US Department of Transportation to begin nonstop service between Beijing and Honolulu.  Airlift is a key factor in increasing visitors from any destination.

Our discussions with our partners in China included a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Huntsman and his Embassy staff to ensure that obtaining a U.S travel visa will not be an obstacle to traveling to Hawaii.  He and his staff were most reassuring as they committed to work closely with us to facilitate Chinese travel to our islands and the mainland U.S.

Although my schedule required my return to Hawaii and I was unable to continue on to Hainan, I was delighted to learn of the outcome of the meeting between Gov. Lingle and Hainan Airlines’ founder and chairman of the board Chen Feng and Vice President Chen Ming.

It is my understanding that Chairman Feng shared with the governor that her trip was critical in expressing Hawaii’s support for their airline’s nonstop flight to Honolulu and advised they are planning to fly two flights per week between Beijing and Honolulu and hope to begin service by the second quarter of next year.

Tourism opportunities exist in the developing countries in Asia as well as in North America and Japan.  As an industry, we have done an admirable job in collectively increasing our marketing and promotions in our base markets of North America and Japan.

Developing and broadening our relationships in new emerging Asian markets will assist us in diversifying our market sources and enable us to expand tourism’s impact on our economy.

As James F. Smith, chief economist of Parsec Financial Management in North Carolina said “you have to get the Chinese people coming to Hawaii.  They are the way of the future.”  Indeed.

Kelvin Bloom

Hawaii Tourism Authority, Chairman

Aston Hotels & Resorts, President

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Gov. Linda Lingle with other governors at the Opening Ceremony for Guangdong's 30th anniversary of its Province's sister-state/city/province relationships. (Photo courtesy of The Governor's Office)

Note: The following transcript is from the news conference in which Gov. Linda Lingle provided an update on her recent trip to China to promote tourism, international trade and clean energy partnerships.

I wanted to update everybody on my China trip. It’s very clear, or certain, that China has arrived as a global economic power, you can see it everywhere in China.

We went over with three specific goals in three areas that we were going to be focused on, tourism from China to Hawaii, energy collaborations and business in general, especially commercial products.

First of all I want to cover tourism and the potential for direct flights to Hawaii. My visit with the chairman of Hainan Airlines was important, it made a difference.

During my visit Hainan Airlines signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to establish working groups, and each side to appoint a liaison. The memorandum with Hainan Airlines sets up two things.

One, it sets up working groups from both sides and a specific liaison on each side, on Hainan’s side it’s the VP and head of marketing.

Hainan Airlines wants to come to Hawaii, there are several issues to resolve before they do. These include joint marketing programs between Hainan Airlines and Hawaii Tourism Authority, the visa issue which I will talk about in more detail, support for return leg flights – in other words when they come to Hawaii they need to make certain people are traveling back to China as well –  and finally various airport issues here in Honolulu.

I had a terrific meeting with Ambassador Jon Huntsman and the staff of the embassy in Beijing to discuss the visa issue. And we resolved several points.

Number one is that the embassy will appoint a point of contact for the state of Hawaii and all five consulates in China. This would help us any time there is a problem with the visas for an individual or a group. A scientific meeting, a conference, a student who wants to come to Hawaii, we’ll have a specific person who will be our state’s point of contact.

Secondly, they are setting group travel appointments and they are allowing the tour leader to sit in the interview so they will have set times for groups who are going to be traveling to Hawaii, they will be able to go and the person who leads the group will be able to attend the interview with the people traveling.

We also began discussions on what we call the last-minute visa process. We got a tremendous amount of cooperation and recognition for the importance of these issues to our economy in Hawaii. We also learned a lot from the embassy staff.

First of all 80 percent of all visas applied for in China are granted. That means four out of five people who apply, get a visa. Of those who don’t get a visa it’s often for a lack of a completed application, various paperwork is not done properly. I would also point out that the 80 percent that’s granted are granted for one year for multiple entries.

My own visa to go to China was for three months. So visas are being granted by our embassy for a one-year period of time and for multiple entries.

The information we got and the conversation we had there, we used, we leveraged at media roundtables in Beijing and in Shanghai. So we sat with members of the largest media in the county as well as the travel media and we shared with them the processes that we have been able to set up – about the consular point of contact, the 80 percent of the visas are currently being granted.

Because there is a disconnect between the perception of the difficulty of getting a visa and the reality of actually four out of five people who apply for a visa, get one. The points that we made with them about group travel in the future will really help as well.

Getting the information out was really important, and our information went out to hundreds of millions of people because that’s the number of people the media in China reaches.

The other issue I wanted to touch on is our energy partnerships. We went over to talk about energy with several people.

I think one of the most important meetings we had was hosted by the chairman of the China Academy of Engineering and he has agreed to support and be a part of our Asia-Pacific Energy Summit next year which will be Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.

This year was our first energy summit, we had 800 people attending – 600 from other countries.  And we had a focus this year on Korea.

Next year’s focus is on China, so having the government officially participate is very important for us. I also met in Hong Kong with the secretary of the environment who has energy as part of his portfolio, we also invited him to be a part of next year’s summit.

And finally, we had a memorandum of understanding between the Hainan Development and Reform Commission, which is a branch of the government, with DBEDT about the energy summit next year and the governor there is committed to attend.

Now why is Hainan island important in the energy issue? Hainan island is located off the southern coast of China and is one of our two sister provinces, Guangdong which I will talk about in a minute and Hainan island are both sister provinces.

And Hainan island has an undersea cable now between Hainan and the China mainland, and of course that’s a key part of our energy vision for Hawaii’s future so we had some very good opening discussions there.

Third point I want to talk about and the third goal and mission that we had is really exciting. This has to do with commercial products and services from Hawaii being sold in China. This was a potentially very powerful breakthrough that we had.

We met with officials from the Ministry of Commerce. Success of this initiative could significantly reduce the risks and the costs for small and medium sized business in Hawaii to do business in China. By the end of this year we will agree with the Ministry of Commerce on a plan.

We will sign an MOU to bring products and services from Hawaii to China. At the expense of the China government, they will set up in Shanghai, something called a “Hawaii House.”

This will contain Hawaii products and services, it will be both a wholesale and retail showroom so that anyone in China who is interested in purchasing Hawaii-made products will be able to come to one place and have samples of all of those products, will be able to order from that showroom – again with substantially reduced risk to our small and medium-sized businesses.

China is a huge country with 1.4 billion people. It’s hard to break in if you’re a small to medium sized company, yet there are huge opportunities for these companies in our state.

This liaison we’ve made with the Ministry of Commerce is going to be very, very important, whether it’s for logistics, distribution, media relations, all the things a small company will have trouble doing on their own will be able to happen through this Hawaii House.

So by the end of the year, we’ll agree on a plan and we’ll sign an MOU. In January or February of next year, the Ministry of Commerce will send a buying delegation to the State of Hawaii to travel from island to island to look at the products that they believe would best sell in the China market.

Very exciting opportunities for our businesses. We want them to be prepared to step up and take advantage of this opportunity. We’ll be working between now and then to get the word out about this to get as many specifics as we can. But this was a great step and I was very excited to be there and to listen to the specifics, and for them to actually pin down when they will visit Hawaii to review these different products.

Final point I want to make, a general point, besides the fact that we made such great progress in tourism and energy and in our commercial products to help our small and medium businesses is the fact that in China, government matters, government has to be involved in these issues.

It’s not just important, it’s expected in China. There are tremendous opportunities for Hawaii companies in China and our state is so well positioned to take advantage of those opportunities.

One, because the brand Hawaii is so well known in China and it’s known in a positive way. When you mention Hawaii, just as in other parts of the world, people’s faces light up. They all want to come, they know of it.

So anything with the name Hawaii attached to it is seen as good, and environmentally sound and positive, so we have that advantage going in.

We’re also a great counterbalance of the basic stress of living in China. Shanghai alone has 20 million people in the city. China this year will purchase more cars that the USA.

It has become a powerhouse and it’s intense, stressful kind of living, and they see Hawaii as a perfect counterbalance to that. We’re also a safe destination, and we have a unique culture, something they are very, very interested in.

Capturing these opportunities for our state will take work. Work on behalf of the government and work on behalf of the business community and this is especially true because of the highly competitive nature in China.

Everyone wants to be in China. It’s the only economy in the world right now that is growing 8-9 percent a year.

Other economies are lucky to be growing at 1-2 percent a year, and any article you read right now is clear on one thing: China is keeping the world’s economy going right now. So we have great opportunities, we have to be involved in making certain that we take advantage of them. And government is a key part of this effort.

I want to tell you that our prior efforts in China in 2005 or our large trade mission that we took was a huge part of our success this time. Also our trip last year in Shanghai to the travel mart was a big part of our success. Also as you know Hawaii is one of the few states in the county that has an office in Beijing.

We established it in 2005 and because of that office is why we made so much progress on the visa issue and on the ministry of commerce issue. Our chief there, Bo Wu, has worked with the Ministry of Commerce there so by the time the governor actually arrives there, all this ground work has been done.

Having that office in Beijing is a critical component of our future success in China.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s decision this week to spend money on the Shanghai Expo for 2010 was a very wise decision on their part. I’m very excited about it.

I’ll be there in Shanghai for that expo as well as to attend ceremonies honoring the 25th anniversary of our sister-state/province relationship with Guangdong.

It will be a much larger trip next year, we will invite members of the community, business community, education community to travel with us on that trip and we certainly hope the media will make that trip. It is going to be a very important one.

The 25th anniversary is seen as a major milestone in Guangdong and the Shanghai Expo will attract 73 million people during the five months that it’s open. Out of these 73 million people 70 million will be from China. It is an unprecedented opportunity for us, so I look forward to that.

Media Q&A:

* Getting back to the tourism… can you sum it up in a nutshell?  This is big news for Hawaii tourism. This is you paving the way to tap the big Chinese market.

This is potentially very big news for the future of tourism in Hawaii. It will bring back a lot of jobs if we’re successful at bringing it about. I think there are some steps that have to be taken between now and then.

The HTA’s involvement is going to be important and their decision about the Shanghai Expo was very, very important. The head of HTA, Kelvin Bloom, was with me on this trip in both Beijing and Shanghai. He has come to understand the significance of this market. I think he knew it kind of before, but this was his first trip to China. I think it really influenced his thinking.

He wasn’t with me in Hainan island when I met with the chairman of the board of Hainan Airlines, but that was an extremely significant meeting. Again, he’s the head of the airline, he doesn’t really want to meet with the head of HTA, he wants to meet with the governor of the State of Hawaii. That’s simply the way it is, for him and for the airline.

He’s an interesting man. He’s a former high-level government official there – worked for the Aviation Administration. He is now seen as the top entrepreneur when it comes to air service in China so if anyone would do direct flights, it will be him. That’s why it’s so important to establish this relationship and to work with him. Having these working groups set up and liaisons is a very important step but we have a little ways to go.

* Energy partnership with China – what do we, who provides what?  You said that island there provides a cable, is that technology we might use here?

It’s certainly possible. I can see another area, Dick. We have people here right now who are involved in some wind projects. China is now the most successful wind turbine producer in the world. Now, instead of producing the 1.5 megawatts, they are producing 2 megawatt wind turbines.

They just made a very big sale to Texas. You may have read about it – there was some controversy attached to it because there were ARRA funds used. Clearly they are manufacturing some of the highest quality wind turbines available.

So to the extent that our companies who want to do business here, want to purchase wind turbines, available. So to the extent our companies who are doing business here want to purchase turbines in China, that’s a great opportunity for them.

The less expensively they can put up those turbines, the less expensively we can buy power.

Also the Academy of Engineering over there is a critically important partner for us. They’re involved in all kinds of renewable energy, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity to learn from each other.  Having them come here – once the official government agency said they will be a partner in our conference, they will be attending – there will be a lot of Chinese companies coming here for that conference. A lot of opportunity.

MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Linda Lingle and DBEDT Director Ted Liu met with Chairman Xu Kuangdi of the China Academy of Engineering and noted clean energy leader Zhou Fengqi to discuss and exchange ideas on renewable energy and energy efficiency from Hawaii and China’s perspectives.

The head of China Wind Energy Association was present and agreed to explore deployment of China’s new wind turbine technology in partnership with wind project developers in Hawaii.

The meeting also included officials of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, which has broad administrative and planning control over the Chinese economy, including formulating policies for economic and social development, restructuring China’s economic system and guiding private investment.

During the meeting, Lingle invited Xu and the China Academy of Engineering to be co-organizers for the 2010 Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo.

Xu agreed to co-sponsor next year’s summit and to have a specific “China-focus.” Zhou Fengqi spoke at the recent Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo that was held in Hawaii in September 2009.

While in Hong Kong, Lingle participated in discussions with Secretary for the Environment, Edward Yao. Lau is responsible for Hong Kong’s clean energy portfolio.

Lingle and Lau spoke of a potential link between Hawaii and Hong Kong as mutual “test-beds” for the integration of renewable energy and achievement of high levels of energy efficiency.

The governor invited Hong Kong to participate in the 2010 Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Yao reciprocated by inviting the State of Hawaii and Hawaii companies to participate in its Green Tech Exposition.

Gov. Linda Lingle, DBEDT Director Ted Liu and Hawaii delegation members enjoy a rare snow storm in the Forbidden City in Beijing. (Photo courtesy of The Governor's Office)

MEDIA RELEASE

During meetings in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, the governor focused on maximizing opportunities for Chinese tourists to travel to Hawaii.

Her discussions with key Chinese and U.S. officials centered on two critical areas – expediting the application process for Chinese visitors traveling to the U.S. and preparing for the first nonstop scheduled airline service from g to Hawaii, which is expected to begin early next year.

Building on the progress made since Hawaii and the China National Tourism Administration formed a cooperative agreement to increase two-way travel between Hawaii and China in 2005, Lingle met with Shao Qiwei, chairman of CNTA.

Lingle and Shao discussed the current situation of Chinese tourists going to Hawaii, including: visa issues, new developments in group leisure tour program, and the steps that can be taken by the United States and China to increase the number of Chinese visitors.

Lingle also spoke of the first scheduled direct air service between China and Hawaii, which is expected to start early next year, and Shao pledged his resources to support and encourage more Chinese tourists to travel to Hawaii.

While in Hong Kong, Lingle met with Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Rita Lau.

As part of her focus on Hong Kong’s economy, the Secretary is also responsible for the tourism portfolio.

With nearly 30 million visitors each year – half of which are from China – Lingle, Lau and senior officials from the Hong Kong Tourism Board discussed Hong Kong’s experience in attracting and hosting Chinese tourists.

In Shanghai, Lingle met with travel industry media representatives and business leaders and shared that travel to Hawaii is a perfect complement to the intense and rapid-paced lifestyle of Shanghai and other urban Chinese cities.

The governor explained Hawaii not only does Hawaii have a good balance of relaxation, shopping and an active cultural scene, but it also offers a great value and provides a safe environment for families and inter-generational travel.

On the governor’s first day in China, she met with U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman to continue discussions they had in Honolulu in August to ensure that obtaining a U.S. travel visa will not be an obstacle to traveling to Hawaii or the rest of the U.S.

U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman.

Huntsman confirmed U.S. consular offices throughout China offer scheduled appointments and set aside specific times to process group leisure travel visa applications.

To facilitate last-minute travel, which is especially important for Chinese travelers who want to participate in a conference or event in Hawaii, the embassy also offers a last-minute visa application process.

In addition, at Lingle’s request, the ambassador and the chief of the consular section agreed to designate a point of contact at each consulate in China with whom Hawaii officials can work to ensure that obtaining a U.S. travel visa is not an obstacle for Chinese to travel to Hawaii or the rest of the U.S.

Lingle also spoke to tourism industry leaders in China, including tour wholesalers, travel agents and airline executives.

During discussions with the tourism officials, Lingle and Hawaii Tourism Authority Chairman Kelvin Bloom provided an update about the anticipated start of Beijing-Honolulu service on Hainan Airlines, as well as other efforts Hawaii tourism leaders are undertaking to prepare for Chinese visitors.

Lingle and Bloom also held a roundtable discussion and interviews with Chinese media, including travel and leisure writers, to promote Hawaii as a visitor destination.

Gov. Linda Lingle meets with Shao Qiwei, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration. (Photo courtesy of The Governor's Office)

MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Linda Lingle’s first two days in China focused on building on the state’s strategic efforts to strengthen Hawaii’s economic base by tapping China’s growing outbound tourism market as well as developing opportunities and partnerships in clean energy and international trade.

TRAVEL TO HAWAII

Building on the progress made since Hawaii and the China National Tourism Administration formed a cooperative agreement to increase two-way travel between Hawaii and China, Lingle met with Shao Qiwei, chairman of CNTA.

Lingle and Shao discussed the current situation of Chinese tourists going to the Hawaii, including: visa issues, new developments in group leisure tour program, as well as steps that can be taken by the United States and China to increase the number of Chinese visitors.

Lingle also spoke of the first scheduled direct air service between China and Hawaii, which is expected to start early next year, and Shao pledged his resources to support and encourage more Chinese tourists to travel to Hawaii.

On the governor’s first day in China, she met with U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman to continue discussions they had in Honolulu in August to ensure that obtaining a U.S. travel visa will not be an obstacle to traveling to Hawaii or the rest of the U.S.

Among the proposals Lingle raised with Huntsman were establishing set interview times for Chinese travelers applying for a visa, designating a point-of-contact at each U.S. consulate in China to focus on the visa issue and determining a process to facilitate last-minute travel applications.

CLEAN ENERGY

Lingle and DBEDT Director Ted Liu met with Chairman Xu Kuangdi of the China Academy of Engineering and noted clean energy leader Zhou Fengqi to discuss and exchange ideas on renewable energy and energy efficiency from Hawaii and China’s perspectives.

The head of China Wind Energy Association was present and agreed to explore deployment of China’s new wind turbine technology in partnership with wind project developers in Hawaii.

The meeting also included officials of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, which has broad administrative and planning control over the Chinese economy, including formulating policies for economic and social development, restructuring China’s economic system and guiding private investment.

Zhou Fengqi spoke at the Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo that was held in Hawaii in September.

During the meeting, Lingle invited Xu and the China Academy of Engineering to be co-organizers for the 2010 Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo. Xu agreed to co-sponsor next year’s summit and to have a specific “China-focus.”

HAWAII EXPORTS

Lingle also met with the Ministry of Commerce office of China Import Product Solicitation and Promotion System to discuss the ‘Hawaii House’ program MOFCOM is launching to promote Hawaii products to Chinese consumers.

The ministry recognizes that small and medium foreign businesses have barriers to their products and services entering the China market.

In order to achieve better trade balance with countries such as the United States, the ministry is launching a foreign products and services show-room and distribution center, the first one scheduled to open in Shanghai.

The center would be developed and operated at no cost to the foreign companies selling into the China market.

The ministry is very interested in Hawaii products and services, as it believes Hawaii has a unique consumer brand.

Lingle learned in detail the plans for these centers and agreed to work closely with the ministry to capitalize on this opportunity for Hawaii companies.

In 2008, Gov. Linda Lingle attended the opening ceremony of the China International Travel Mart (CITM), Asia's largest international tourism fair to promote travel to Hawaii. She is in China this month to strengthen Hawaii's ties to the Asian country. (Photo courtesy of The Governor's Office)

MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Linda Lingle is in China to build on the state’s strategic efforts to strengthen Hawaii’s economic base by tapping China’s growing outbound tourism market as well as developing opportunities and partnerships in clean energy and international trade.

In 2008, Lingle attended the opening ceremony of the China International Travel Mart (CITM), Asia’s largest international tourism fair to promote travel to Hawaii.

“There are many issues that are before our state – both fiscal and economic issues – and all of these are critically important, but we can’t sit by and muddle through these very difficult times and hope they all go OK. We need to move the ball forward on all fronts,” Lingle said. “This is our opportunity to continue to cement relationships for the State of Hawaii with one of the most important countries in the world and the largest market for products and services that exists on the planet.”

During the trip, which lasts through Nov. 13, the governor will visit six cities where Hawaii has developed important economic interests:  Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Haikou and Sanya in Hainan Province and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

Beijing is the capital and political and administrative center of China; Shanghai is the country’s economic and business center; Hong Kong continues to be a leading global financial center and trading base; both Hainan and Guangdong Province are sister-states to Hawaii.

Lingle, Ted Liu, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and Hawaii tourism leaders promoted Hawaii tourism in China during the governor’s visit in November 2008.

China’s emerging outbound visitor market

A major part of the governor’s trip will be to ensure Hawaii is prepared to maximize economic opportunities from China’s emerging outbound tourism market.

Over the past several years, the Lingle-Aiona Administration has focused on strengthening partnerships with the growing Chinese tourism industry as part of a strategic effort to diversify the geographic mix of visitors to Hawaii.

This is particularly important now, as Hawaii is expected to benefit from an increase in Chinese travelers due to recent developments, including the first scheduled direct air service between China and Hawaii, which is expected to start early next year.

Lingle will meet with officials from Hainan Airlines, which recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin the weekly service from Beijing to Honolulu.

Another major tourism-related issue that will be addressed during the trip is expediting the visa application and approval process for Chinese visitors to the United States.

Hawaii-China clean energy partnerships

During her meeting with U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, the Governor will expand on earlier conversations she had with him on the role Hawaii can play in fostering partnerships and investments, as the U.S. and China work toward reducing dependence on fossil fuels and developing clean, renewable energy alternatives.

She will also meet with key Chinese government and business leaders  to focus on opportunities for Hawaii in the area of clean energy development and environmental protection.

Promoting Hawaii exports

In Beijing, the governor will meet with the China Ministry of Commerce (MOC), the nation’s top trade and economic development agency.

In an attempt to narrow China’s trade surplus with the U.S., the MOC is launching a program to promote American products to the Chinese consumer, especially the growing Chinese middle class.

Lingle will discuss the MOC’s interest in launching a Hawaii products showroom and trade center, fully funded and operated by the MOC, that will promote and distribute Hawaii products in China.

In Shanghai, Lingle will meet with the organizers of the Shanghai Expo, a six-month international exhibition to be held May to September of 2010. The organizers expect 70 million people to visit the Shanghai Expo, of which 67 million will be Chinese domestic visitors.

Lingle will explore utilizing the expo as a platform for promoting the export of Hawaii products and services.

Strengthening partnerships in the global economy

The Hainan Province and Guangdong Province portions of the trip will focus on strengthening existing relationships with Hawaii’s historic sister-states in China.

Sister-states are the internationally accepted formal basis upon which closer economic, business and cultural exchange between two foreign states are promoted.

At the invitation of Guangdong Province Governor Huang Huahua, Governor Lingle will travel to Guangzhou to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Guangdong Province’s sister relations program, where she will address foreign officials from Guangdong’s sister provinces/states.

She will also become the first governor from Hawaii to visit Hainan Province, which has shared a sister-state/province relationship with Hawaii since 1992.

Leaders from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii will join Lingle in Hainan and Guangdong Provinces as partners in promoting business, trade and other economic and cultural exchanges between Hawaii and China.

Travel expenses

Lingle’s air travel expenses will be paid for with state funds. Liu’s air fare will be funded by DBEDT.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Hainan Provincial Government and Guangdong Provincial Government will pay for hotel accommodations and ground transportation in Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and Guangzhou. Expenses in Hong Kong will be paid for with personal funds.

LINGLE’S PUBLIC SCHEDULE

MONDAY, NOV. 2 – Beijing

Lingle will address Chinese tourism officials, tour wholesalers, travel agents, airline executives and travel writers to encourage Chinese travel to Hawaii.

The increased tourism outreach comes as Hawaii prepares for the first scheduled non-stop airline service between Hawaii and China, which is expected to start early next year.

Lingle; Liu Kelvin Bloom, chair of the Hawaii Tourism Authority; and Hawaii Tourism China will participate in a media roundtable with Chinese travel and leisure writers and news journalists to promote Hawaii as a travel destination.

The governor will build on her recent meeting in Honolulu with Jon Huntsman, U.S. Ambassador to China, to discuss expediting the U.S. visa application process for Chinese visitors to the United States.  (Ambassador Huntsman worked closely with Governor Lingle when he was Governor of Utah.)

She will also discuss how the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative can serve as a model as the U.S. and China work to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and developing renewable energy alternatives.

Lingle will meet with Shao Qiwei, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the country’s tourism ministry, to build on the progress made since Hawaii and the CNTA formed a cooperative agreement following the governor’s first business trip to China in 2005 to increase two-way travel between Hawaii and China. (Lingle’s most recent meeting with Chairman Shao took place last month at Washington Place as a precursor to their meeting in Beijing.)

TUESDAY, NOV. 3 – Beijing

Lingle and Liu will meet with officials of the China Academy of Engineering who are experts in the clean energy sector. The officials spoke at the Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo that was held in Hawaii in September, and plan to participate in the 2010 summit in Hawaii.

The meeting will also include officials of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, which has broad administrative and planning control over the Chinese economy, including formulating policies for economic and social development, restructuring China’s economic system and guiding private investment.

Lingle will deliver remarks at a luncheon hosted by the China Academy of Engineering and the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

Lingle and Liu will meet with the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) office of China Import Product Solicitation and Promotion System to discuss the ‘Hawaii House’ program MOFCOM is launching to promote Hawaii products to Chinese consumers.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4 – Depart Beijing for Shanghai.

THURSDAY, NOV. 5 – Shanghai

Governor Lingle will address Chinese tourism officials, tour wholesalers, travel agents, airline executives and travel writers to encourage Chinese travel to Hawaii.

The increased tourism outreach comes as Hawaii prepares for the first scheduled non-stop airline service between Hawaii and China which is expected to start early next year.

Lingle, Bloom, Liu and Hawaii Tourism China will participate in a media roundtable.

FRIDAY, NOV. 6 – Depart Shanghai for Hong Kong.

The governor will meet with Hong Kong officials to discuss investment and partnership opportunities for Hawaii in the area of clean energy and environmental protection.

The officials include:

* Edward Yao, Secretary for the Environment

* Rita Lau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

* Helen Chan, Government Economist, Financial Secretary’s Office

Lingle will deliver remarks to Hong Kong business executives on business and investment opportunities and partnerships between Hawaii and Hong Kong. The event will be hosted by Daniel Fung, former Hong Kong Solicitor General and current member of the Board of Governors of the East-West Center.

SATURDAY, NOV. 7 – Hong Kong

Lingle and Liu will tour the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Information Center, arranged by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.

SUNDAY, NOV. 8 – Depart Hong Kong for Haikou, Hainan

MONDAY, NOV. 9 – Haikou, Hainan Province

Lingle; Liu; Office of Planning Executive Director Abbey Mayer; and Tina Yao, Hawaii Tourism China will meet with Chen Feng, chairman of the board of Hainan Airlines, to discuss the first scheduled nonstop airline service between China and Hawaii, which is expected to start next year.

Lingle, Liu, Mayer and leaders of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii will meet with Hainan Province Gov. Luo Baoming to discuss expanding partnerships under the Hawaii-Hainan Sister-State/Province Relationship that was first established in 1992. Lingle is the first Hawaii governor to visit Hainan.

The Governor, Liu, Mayer and leaders of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce will meet with officials of the Hainan National Development and Reform Commission to discuss clean energy partnerships and investments between Hawaii and Hainan.

Lingle, Liu and Mayer will attend an event hosted by Hugo Xiong, global executive vice president of IDG Venture Capital, a global network of venture capital funds.

TUESDAY, NOV. 10 – Travel from Haikou to Sanya.

The governor will visit the resort city of Sanya on Hainan Island.

Lingle, Liu, Mayer and leaders of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii will meet with Wang Yong, mayor of Sanya to discuss Hawaii-Sanya tourism partnerships as well as increasing two-way travel between Hawaii and China.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11 – Depart Sanya for Guangzhou, Guangdong.

Lingle, Liu and leaders of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii will meet with Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong Province to discuss strengthening partnerships between Hawaii and Guangdong in the areas of economic development, tourism, and clean energy, as well as cultural and educational exchanges.

The two governors met in Guangzhou in June 2005 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Hawaii-Guangdong sister-state/province agreement and to sign a reaffirmation agreement. They also met later that year, when Governor Huang led a delegation to Hawaii.

Lingle, Liu, Mayer, Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii members and world leaders will attend the opening ceremony and welcome reception in celebration of Guangdong’s 30th anniversary of Guangdong Province’s sister-state/city/province relationships.

THURSDAY, NOV. 12 – Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Lingle will participate in discussions with world leaders gathered in Guangdong for a full-day conference in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Guangdong Province’s sister-state/city/province relationships.

FRIDAY, NOV. 13 – Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Lingle will participate in the opening of the School of Research at the Guangzhou University of Foreign Language Studies.

Lingle will deliver a keynote address at a forum on innovation to explore how other nations are developing innovation-based economies and the potential opportunities for Hawaii.

One of Lingle’s top priorities for Hawaii is to create an innovation-based economy, including attracting international investments in new technologies.

Lingle, Liu and Mayer will attend a luncheon hosted by Vice Governor Wan Qingliang.

Depart Guangzhou for Honolulu.

MEDIA RELEASE

Hainan Airlines, China’s largest non-state owned airline, has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Hawaii Department of Transportation to operate the first nonstop scheduled service from The People’s Republic of China to Hawaii.

Hainan Airlines will operate a three-class Airbus A340-600 on the first nonstop route between China and Hawaii, according to Gov. Linda Lingle’s office.

Once approved, service between Beijing and Honolulu will operate once a week beginning this fall, with a specific start date to be announced. Hainan plans to eventually increase the frequency of the Beijing-Honolulu service up to three flights a week as demand builds.

The new service is primarily targeted at Chinese visitors, a growing market even in the current economic downturn. 

The Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and China for leisure travel has spurred demand for service to Hawaii.

“We are excited to be able to finally bridge Hawaii to China and to link the two capital cities of Beijing and Honolulu,” said Joel Chusid, general manager for North America for Hainan Airlines, who noted the company headquarters is in Hainan Island, considered the ‘Hawaii of China.’ 

“We also expect that some of our travelers will use Hawaii as an alternative gateway for travel between China and the United States mainland, which can provide convenience and reduced travel time,” Chusid said. “Visits to Hawaii’s neighbor islands are also anticipated.”

Lingle met with Chusid and other Hainan Airlines officials earlier this year. 

“Hainan Airlines’ new service to Hawaii builds on our efforts to increase visitors from emerging markets and also strengthens our ongoing relationship with the China National Tourism Administration to increase two-way travel between Hawaii and China,” she said.

Founded in 1993, Hainan Airlines carries more than 14 million passengers annually and flies to more than 60 domestic and international cities, including the capitals of every Chinese province.

MEDIA RELEASE

The University of Hawaii at Hilo will host a visit from a joint U.S.- China delegation of leading scientists and technical experts on renewable energy from the National Academies of Science and Engineering in both countries.  The work of this Committee on U.S. – China Cooperation on Electricity from Renewables will assist the national governments, their relevant agencies/ministries, and private industries in assigning priorities for substantial and meaningful cooperation in developing and utilizing electricity from renewable energy.

The group is coming to UH-Hilo to learn more about how the Big Island’s renewable energy strategies, initiatives and research can strengthen the economic foundation of the community.  

Dr. Michael Crosby, interim vice chancellor for research at UH-Hilo, will open a meeting of  the delegation and roundtable discussion at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 in UCB 127.  Participants will include UH Hilo’s leading renewable energy researchers, representatives of Mayor Billy Kenoi, Hawaii Electric Light Company, Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association and local agriculture businesses.

“We’re very excited to be hosting this event,” Crosby said. “Our gateway location where east meets west, combined with the Big Island’s advances in renewable energy provides UH Hilo a great opportunity to create another global niche for itself in the area of scientific research.”    

The U.S. and China rank as the world’s top two energy consumers, but remain largely reliant on fossil fuels.  

Although both countries have enjoyed recent surges in the growth of wind, solar and biomass energy, power generation from these renewable sources has yet to meet even 10 percent of electricity demand in either country.  Given the size of their electricity markets, any substantial progress between the two countries will have an immediate benefit on the global   community.

The committee’s study will pursue three separate, but related goals of comparatively assessing resource potential in China and the U.S. for grid-scale electricity generation, exploring near term market opportunities for mature technologies, and recommending priorities for enhanced collaboration, with a focus on cost reduction, improved efficiency and grid connectivity, and storage.  

In its first collaborative effort entitled Cooperation in the Energy Futures of China and the United States, the U.S. and Chinese academies identified several  future initiatives for meeting their energy-related challenges that include promoting investments in frontier technology; developing collaborative programs to accelerate deployment of advanced technologies; and ongoing collaboration between key scientific and engineering institutions in the two countries to help guide choices required to implement energy strategies.    

The delegation will be in Hawaii through March 21, with visits scheduled in Honolulu, Hilo and Waikoloa.  In addition to UH Hilo, the committee members will visit the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority to learn more about ocean thermal energy research, bio-diesel, micro-CSP projects, deep sea cooling and other distributed technologies.  

MEDIA RELEASE

KOHALA COAST — Marry me on Monday. That’s what 17 Chinese couples will do Monday, Dec. 1 at Hilton Waikoloa Village, as cameras from China’s popular Tianjin TV showcase a Hawaiian ceremony to more than 1 million Chinese viewers.

It’s the second time Tianjin TV has filmed a Chinese wedding show at the oceanfront Hilton Waikoloa Village, and Big Island Visitors Bureau Executive Director George Applegate said the timing for the mass matrimony is perfect.

“Hawaii is going to be getting a big increase in Chinese travelers now because of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 2007, facilitating group leisure travel to the U.S.,” Applegate said. “Before, only business or government travel from China to the U.S. was allowed.” 

Hawaii and other U.S. destinations can now promote and market their destinations in China, as a result of the MOU.

Applegate said BIVB’s sales team just returned from Shanghai, where it participated in the China International Travel Mart, sharing the Big Island message with thousands of Chinese travel professionals and consumers. 

While the Chinese enthusiasm for Hawaii is strong, the knowledge of what distinguishes the Island of Hawaii from the rest of Hawaii is not, Applegate said, and the upcoming exposure on Tianjin TV will raise awareness.

Last year, 12 couples were betrothed at Hilton Waikoloa Village in a ceremony that featured Hawaiian music and hula. Monday’s ceremony also will be Hawaiian-inspired, and with a live performance of the Hawaiian Wedding Song.  

Tianjin is a municipality in China, and is where most of the wedding couples live.

Hawaii received 38,972 visitors from China in 2007, according to DBEDT. Through September 2008, 40,535 Chinese visitors have traveled to the state of Hawaii, representing a 4 percent increase, year-over-year through the third quarter 2008.