Overseas With Lt. Governor Brad Owen

Reception for Spanish students who attended summer camp in Seattle

2011-10-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

A reception in honor of 60 Spanish students who attended in the "International Village" camp in Seattle in 2009, 2010 and 2011 included Lt. Governor Owen and his delegation and Juan Jose Mateo, the minister of education for Castilla y Leon.

You may read more about this meeting in the Spanish journal Leonoticias.com

English (web-translated) and Spanish.

Lt. Governor part of wine school exchange signing ceremony

2011-10-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Lt. Governor Owen and delegation continued their mission this week with a stop in the historic city of Valladolid, where the lieutenant governor took part in the signing of an agreement between Northwest Wine Academy (based at South Seattle Community College) and the International Kitchen School Fernando Perez de Valladolid.

The agreement will result in the establishment of a half-year course for wine stewardship at the school, running from January through June. The course will include 250 hours of instruction, 100 hours of work outside the class and a final project. The student judged to be the best will earn an all-expense paid, week-long trip to New York for additional training in "one of the best hotels" and play the "role of the ambassador of wines of Castilla and Leon."

The signing of this agreement was covered in the Spanish media.

ABC.es
English Spanish

Lt. Governor tours technology institute

2011-10-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

One of the stops on the Lt. Governor's trade and cultural mission to Spain was a visit to the Spanish National Communication Technology Institute (INTECO) in Leon.

According to a news release (Spanish) (English) issued by the institute and Spanish media coverage, the meeting was designed to establish closer relationships between the institute and Washington and to identify future collaborative projects, especially those that are related to technology.

Lt. Governor Owen and delegation tour INTECO.

Lt. Governor Owen receives a briefing about INTECO from its CEO, Victor Izquierdo

Lt. Governor Owen and delegation pose with officials from INTECO and FGULEM,
a foundation associated with the University of Leon.

More media coverage from lieutenant governor's mission to Spain

2011-10-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Lt. Governor Owen continued his tour of Leon this week, drawing plenty of news media attention as he visited with dignitaries in education, research and business.

There is also coverage of the Lt. Governor's lecture, which he delivered in Spanish at two universities.

Here is a sampling of some of the media coverage, both in their original Spanish and translated via the Google web translation service. (Once more, please note that the English is not precise - we are supplying here for the benefit of our non-Spanish reading visitors to this site).

Leonoticias

Spanish: "El bueno, el feo y el malo"

English: "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"

Europapress

Spanish: El Estado de Washington afianzará las relaciones empresariales con León

English: The State of Washington will strengthen business relations with Leon

EL DIARIO DE LEON S.A.

Spanish: La Universidad de Washington inicia el curso con 15 alumnos de 600 previstos

English: Washington University started the course with 15 students of 600 planned

Leonoticias (includes video of a gifting exchange)

Spanish: León abre sus puertas para estrechar los vínculos comerciales con Washington

English: Leon opens its doors for closer trade ties with Washington

Lt. Governor Owen makes statement on ETA announcement to end of arms struggle

Spanish
English

Lt. Governor 'pushes academic and business relations,' Spanish journal reports

2011-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

An article in an online news journal published in León, Leonoticias.com, covers an announcement by Lt. Governor Owen of a nursing graduate exchange between the nursing programs at the University of Washington and Bellevue College and the University of León.

The article also discusses upcoming meetings between the lieutenant governor and business leaders in Spain in toward establishing closer business ties between Washington and Spain, especially in the technology and wine sectors.

Here is a link to the article in Spanish, or you can read it here in English courtesy of Google's electronic translation service (the translation may be less than precise but will give non-Spanish readers the general idea). Audio recordings of the lt. governor's remarks via a translator can be downloaded from the site as well.

Lt. Governor Owen to lecture in Spain, continue development work over 10-day, four city mission

2011-10-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

Lt. Governor Owen presents a "dry run" of the lecture he
will give in Spain to an audience at the University of
Washington.

Lt. Governor Brad Owen departs Monday for a busy 10-day trade and cultural mission to Spain, where he will engage in a series of meetings with high-level officials and business leaders, tour a successful tunnel project built by the same company that will construct Seattle’s deep-bore tunnel, and lecture at two of Spain’ leading universities – in Spanish.

The mission is not at taxpayer expense, and is expected to benefit the state of Washington by continuing the lieutenant governor’s work from earlier missions as well as leverage a visit to Spain by Governor Chris Gregoire in June.

“We are very fortunate in Washington to have a very close and significant relationship with Spain, one that has resulted in advances in transportation, energy, the arts and education both here and there,” Owen said.
Lt. Governor Owen presents a "dry run" of the lecture he will give in Spain to an audience at the University of Washington on Oct. 7.

The lieutenant governor’s university lectures will feature his perspectives on the impact of guns and religion on American politics. Owen will deliver it on two occasions to audiences at the University of León and the University of Valladolid, both in north central Spain.

While at the University of León, the lieutenant governor will meet with administrators and faculty regarding a nursing exchange program between Spain and Washington, the development of a Jewish center for Latino studies, and make plans for an art exhibit featuring Dale Chihuly, Alfredo Arreguin and artists from the Makah Nation on the Washington coast.

Other dignitaries he will meet with include the president (governor) of the province of Castilla y León; the mayor of León; the provincial minister of economy and employment; and the province’s secretaries for education and agriculture.

At a joint news conference with the Secretary of Agriculture for Castilla y León, the lieutenant governor will announce an agreement between South Seattle Community College's Northwest Wine Academy and the Valladolid Culinary Institute. Owen will also meet with young students who participated in the “Spanglish” summer school program with the University of Washington and Spain’s Instituto de Lenguas.

He will conclude his time in Valladolid with meetings with top officials from leading renewable energy and aerospace sectors on their common business interests with the state of Washington, then a visit to Boecillo Technology Park and to the Microsoft campus.

The latter part of the lieutenant governor’s mission will be spent in Madrid, where Owen will visit Microsoft’s School of the Future then a grade school nearby. He will also meet with the minister of education in Madrid and visit with some of the 260 teachers from Washington who were hired by Spain to teach English. It is also in Madrid where he will take a tour of the M30 motorway tunnel project built by Dragados, the parent company of Dragados U.S.A. which has been chosen to build the deep-bore tunnel project in downtown Seattle.

Finally, the lieutenant governor will travel to the city of Toledo to meet with officials with the Iberdola and Enerfin energy companies on alternative energy projects related to wind farms and their investment in Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

Traveling with the lieutenant governor will be his spouse, Linda; Antonio Sanchez, his director for economic development and international relations; Carolina Lucero, senior vice president of Sea Mar Community Health Center; and Luis Fernando Esteban, the honorary consul for Spain in the state of Washington.

A Portrait of India (photo collection)

2010-12-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

By Antonio Sanchez
I want to take this opportunity to thank Ina Dash, WASITRAC trade development mission's intern, for her hard work and tenacity during this mission. She deserves a great deal of credit and recognition for her outstanding photographs.

Ina learned firsthand how to be a real professional at capturing the moment. At times she had to be assertive when the crush of local newspaper, television, and radio personel rushed to interview Lt. Governor Owen and Congressman McDermott. The following is a display of some of the photographics she took called "A portrait of India".

(Note: If you cannot see this embedded slide show, please view on our album page)

Final mission postings

2010-11-24T12:10:00.000-08:00

With the formal conclusion of the WASITRAC trade, cultural and economic mission to India on Nov. 23, photos and information posted below reflect the delegation's final meetings, programs and general scenery from the 10-day mission. We have rearranged the postings a bit to reflect photos and events in chronological order, so if you haven't visited this site for a few days please scroll down and you may find something new!

Also, please check back from time to time as we will try to update with mission reports and other outcomes as they are received. Finally, the editor of this blog would like to give special thanks to our team of contributors for the many photos and insights they provided while in India. Nice work.

Meetings in New Delhi

2010-11-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

In the photos below, the delegation engages in a series of meetings with government and business officials in New Delhi on November 18 and 19.

(Note: If you are unable to see the embedded slide show here in your browser, you may also view the photos and captions individually on our albums page).

Exploring business opportunities for Washington state

2010-11-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

While in Orissa the delegation took part in many business meetings that could
lead to stronger economic and investment ties with that region. This photo shows
a roundtable business development meeting, headed by Anil Agarwal, being conducted
with Adhunik Group of Industries, considered to be one of India's most important and
progressive companies.

In this photo, from left, are Ananga Das of the Industrial Promotion and
Investment Corporation of Orissa (IPOL), Dr. Antonio Sanchez,
Dr. Itu Mohapatra, Harendra Mahapatra, Albert Shen, Sanjay Pratap, Habib M. Habib,
Anil Agarwal, Brad Owen, Joe Diehl, Debadutta Dash, Manas Ranjan Mohant,
Dr. Mary O'keeffe, Rita Stewart, Diane Adachi and Suvendu Dash.

Addressing the Koustuv Group

2010-11-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

Lt. Governor Owen addresses the Koustuv Group at the Koustuv
Institute of Technology in Odisha on Nov. 17

(Note: The embedded slide show below shows photos from the WASITRAC delegation activites on Nov. 17. If you cannot view, you may also view individual photos in our album from the day).

Reflections on Odisha (a.k.a. Orissa)

2010-11-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

By Diane Adachi

Nothing can replace the goodwill and genuine interest that face to face interactions can create through these delegation visits to other countries. Debutta Dash and Habib Habib, co-founders of the Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC), have worked tirelessly for nearly three years on this visit.

Sign at KITT provides warm welcome to WASITRAC
delegation. (Photos by Diane Adachi)

Having Washington’s Congressman Jim McDermott join the mission has also provided great substance and interest as the visit to Orissa--now called Odisha--is his 22nd visit to India. As a result, he is quite a recognized and beloved friend to this nation. In fact, Congressman McDermott had strongly recommended visiting Odisha, a little known state among the 28 states in India, though the ninth largest in terms of geographic area and the eleventh largest in terms of population.

Odisha is rich in its natural resources and human resources. It is amazing how Odisha is rising to the challenge and how many that we met on this trip are motivated by the poverty they encountered in their childhood. Odisha has some distinct possibilities and similarities of interests to Seattle and Washington state.

Congressman Jim McDermott, left, and Lt. Governor Owen inspect
items for sale at a local market.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is focusing on education as much as business and trade to develop the state's infrastructure for the future. Odisha has a vital but underdeveloped coastline and is building its education and research institutions to further support plans for infrastructure and urban planning. As Kapil Sibal, India’s Minister for Education and Human Resource Development and also Minister of Science and Technology, stated in a recent roundtable discussion with higher education leaders: “We need systems for global health, education and economic development.” Hence the reason why human resource development is the umbrella in which education resides.

Tribal children gather for the delegation at the Kalinga Institute
of Social Sciences (KISS).

On Sunday, November 15 we met with Dr. Achyuta Samanta, a man dedicated to creating a greater public good and a better life for the communities of Odisha. Seeing is believing,and it is hard to imagine that Dr. Samanta, who had a very poverty-stricken childhood, could have emerged to receive his masters in chemistry then found the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology and Science (KIITS) and Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS).

Dr. Samanta started with just $100 in savings to found what at first started as a technical training center in 1992 to what is now a robust campus for 15,000 full-time residential students with over 40 academic programs and 23 colleges, schools and departments. The impressive campus, accredited as a Deemed University since 2004, is located on 400 acres of land area and has a township of over 700 faculty, scientists and researchers in residence.

There are over 50 labs with 34 research and development projects underway and it is among India’s top 15 engineering institutes. Included among these rankings are the famous IITs and NITs (Indian Institutes of Technology and National Institutes of Technology). However, it is Dr. Samanta’s childhood memories of struggle and poverty that have become the foundation for creating a better life for the often disregarded communities of tribal children.

Dr. Achyuta Samanta

In 1993, Dr. Samanta began his plans for creating KISS, a free residential home for educating tribal children that grew from supporting 125 tribal children to 12,000 tribal students, simultaneously building both institutions to the impressive goal it has reached today.

Responding to and basing KISS’s objectives on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, Dr. Samanta strives to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; provide universal education from primary through university studies; reduce child mortality; promote gender equality and empower young girls in their future opportunities. He is a social entrepreneur that will help tribal communities to improve maternal healthcare, combat infectious diseases and strive towards environmental sustainability. KISS is now the largest school for tribal children in Asia.

Dr. Samanta’s goal is have these children as they grow to young educated adults return to their communities and help improve living conditions and opportunities for education in their respective villages. For Odisha, this will make a large impact for the state and India as indigenous people account for 8.2 percent of India’s population and 25 percent of the population of Odisha, where many of the tribal communities live in isolation and in difficult geographic terrain.

Professor Ashok Kolaskar, former advisor to the National Knowledge Commission of India, an advisory council to the Prime Minister and now vice chancellor of KIIT University states: “I came to KIIT because I felt I could make a big difference here compared to other more developed parts of India. Odisha is ripe for development and through education we have a chance to improve the lives of many here in the State.”

Dr. Samanta is planning to visit the UW this January and meet with various scholars and researchers about the study of indigenous populations and how the UW works on medical research and partnerships for Native Health, cultural preservation and tribal capacity-building. He also hopes to plan site visits to tribal communities and meet with local tribal leaders in the State of Washington.

(Diane Y. Adachi is assistant vice president and special assistant to the Provost for International Relations and Protocols at the University of Washington).

Sampling of media coverage of WASITRAC mission

2010-11-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

Media coverage of the WASITRAC delegation's visit to Orissa has, we've been told, been frequent and intense.

Our researchers, mainly Ken Camp of the lieutenant governor's staff, have found the following articles in English posted in the India press from various events on their itinerary. There have also been numerous television interviews and, no doubt, countless articles published in Standard Hindi and other languages of India.

Naveen welcomes WASITRAC (Tathya)

US panel meets CM, offers investment avenues (Welcome Orissa)

Areas for tie-up with BMC (Welcome Orissa)

Delegates from WASITRAC (Kiit International School)

Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC) at BMC in Bhubaneswar (Odisha 360.com)

Earlier articles are posted further down on this blog.

A visit to the Kalinga Bharati Institute (KIIMS)

2010-11-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

On November 16, the delegation visited the Kalinga Bharati Institute (KIIMS), where a formal memorandum of understanding was signed with North Seattle Community College.

The curtain is unveiled for the ceremonial plaque permanently
commemorating the visit by the lieutenant governor and the
WASITRAC delegation at the Kushagra Intitute of Information
Management and Sciences (KIIMS).

More scenes from the day are in an embedded slide show below. If you are unable to view, you may see see the photos and associated captions directly on our web album.

Orissa updates mark talks and progress by delegation

2010-11-16T09:32:00.000-08:00

No word directly from our WASITRAC delegates for the past 24 hours, but we are tracking media reports from the mission and see that their itinerary is being followed. International missions typically have exhausting schedules, with extensive meetings and travel from early morning to late at night, so we are assuming our intrepid bloggers in the field have simply had no time to provide updates!

Craig Patterson, head of international curriculum for the KiiT International School in Bhubaneswar, where the delegation visited Sunday, sent the following email to the lieutenant governor and the delegates:

"Just a short ‘thanks’ for taking the time to visit our school.

We are still very much in the building stages of our international program, but I do hope that by the end of the academic year things will be up and running. At that time we will be looking for opportunities to increase our exposure to different aspects of internationalism, or “international-mindedness” as we generally refer to it.

We will be an Indian international school, and we are proud of that, however we do believe that our students would benefit from the judicious exposure to other ideas and perceptions.

Perhaps in the future there will be some scope for interaction between the state of Washington and KiiT."

The lieutenant governor also received a note from Dr. K. Sarveswara Rao, a retired scientist from the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, who provided the delegation with a minerals report from the area. The scientist also has a personal connection to the state of Washington: Dr. Rao's daughter is enrolled in the MBA program at Gonzaga University in Spokane.

There has been heavy attention to the delegation by the news media in Orissa. Photos we have received show reporters and camera crews interviewing individual members.

One report in Outlook India covers the delegations' meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday in which they discussed a proposal for the states of Washington and Orissa to work together to establish a cruise ship operation along the state of Orissa's extensive coastline.

Another report in Orissadiary.com also covered that meeting and noted the opportunity for partnerships in sectors in steel, aluminum and energy as well as infrustructure development in ports, tourism and education.

Given the time difference, by now the delegation's schedule for Tuesday would be concluded. The day included a meeting with a port in Dhamra, a visit to the India Institute of Technology, a meeting with the Adhunic Group of Industries and a visit to the Kalinga Bharati Institute (KIIMS).

India news media interviewing mission organizer Debadutta Dash.
Dash is the co-chair of WASITRAC.

On Wednesday the delegation is scheduled to visit the Orissa cities of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark. The Orissa portion of the mission concludes on Thursday, when the delegates will board a plane for New Delhi and begin a series of meetings at the India International Trade Fair there.

Meeting with the chief minister of Odisha, the mayor of Bhubaneswar (and much more)

2010-11-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken on Nov. 15, Day 3 of the WASITRAC mission to Odisha. The day included a meeting with the mayor of the capital city of Bhubaneswar and some site visits; a meeting with cabinet ministers including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik; a visit to the National Institute of Science, Education and Research and, finally, a meeting with the Confederation of Indian Industries followed by a reception and dinner.

(Note: If you are not able to view the slide show presentation on this page, you may view directly on our photo album)

Photos from Orissa

2010-11-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

A dancer from the Odissi dance troupe under

the direction of Prativa Panda. The troupe performed
traditional Indian dances for the delegation.
(Photos by Ina Dash)

Delegation members Albert Shen, president and CEO of Shen
Consulting and a Seattle Community College trustee, along
with Dr. Mary O'Keeffe, vice president for instruction at
North Seattle Community College.

Lt. Governor Owen speaks at the welcome reception.

Mr. Satyabrata Sahu, Orissa's former Secretary of Transportation
and present secretary of Animal Husbandry, receives a gift
of Camano Island Coffee, a Washington state product,
from Lt. Governor Owen

Orissa legislator and film maker Mr. Prashanta Nanda also
receives a gift of Camano Island coffee from Lt. Gov. Owen, who
urges him to make his next film in the state - and have
a good fresh cup of coffee while he's at it!

Professor Mohini Mohan Pattnaik and his group of flutists
perform at the welcoming reception of the Crown Hotel. The
reception was hosted by film maker Prashanata Nanda
and WASITRAC India represenatative, Akshya Parija

Arrival in Mumbai and Bhubaneswar

2010-11-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

By Antonio Sanchez and Ina Dash
WASITRAC’s delegates to India's state of Orissa left Seattle on Nov. 11th with high expectations for developing more formal trade, education and government-to-government relations with this important region of the world.

The long flight gave us ample time to get to know each other and review the different activities in our revised - and now very active - mission itinerary. WASITRAC’s chair, Mr. Debadutta Dash, continually kept the delegation together and informed.

The WASITRAC delegation, minus Congressman McDermott
and his aide and aide Rita Stewart, arrives in Mumbai. At back left
is Debadutta Dash, mission organizer, with Antonio Sanchez. In middle
are Habib Habib, Albert Shen and Joe Diehl. In front is Lt. Governor Owen,
Mary O'Keefe and Diane Adachi. Seattle Ports CEO Tay Yoshitani was not able
to join the mission due to illness. (Photo by Ina Dash)

We were all relieved and happy to see Lt. Governor Owen at our designated meeting point, gate number 24 in Seoul, Korea. He had just completed his China mission before joining us, so hats off to him for keeping up a busy travel schedule! The lieutenant governor appeared a bit tired but in a good mood and ready to work.

The delegation arrived in Mumbai, India and was greeted with 80 degree temperatures at 2 a.m. as we boarded our bus to the hotel. The blast of warm air was a not-so- subtle reminder that we were no longer in Seattle. India had just finished celebrating Diwali, a Hindu festival that recognizes the triumph of good over evil and our hotel was still decorated in the festive and flowerful dress of that celebration.

Our delegation was now complete, with the exception of Congressman Jim McDermott who traveled in advance of the delegation and would meet us in Orissa's capital city, Bhubaneswar. We gathered for a breakfast meeting, photo opp, and were then off to the domestic airport of Orissa.

A two-hour flight took us to Bhubaneswar. We were greeted at the airport by Orissa government officials, members of the press, and about one hundred onlookers. All the delegates were given bouquets of colorful and aromatic flowers, followed by brief press interviews with some of the delegates, including the lieutenant governor.

The drive from the airport to our accommodations in Bhubaneswar gave us a good perspective of this vibrant and active Indian city. This was my first brush with right-side driven cars and the journey through the maze of continually honking automobile traffic, sacred cattle, busy pedestrians, and lack of defined lane markers made for a truly interesting experience.

Streets of Bhubaneswar show a vibrant, active city

Once at the hotel we again greeted by some of the Indian delegation who had formerly visited Seattle, along with hotel staff and other local officials. Each delegate was offered a young coconut drink in its original shell, presented with a bouquet of flowers, and given the traditional symbolic welcoming red imprint on their forehead, called “kumkum” or “sindoor.” This symbol is given to remind the wearer to put god before them and to receive the blessing given by our Hindu hosts. Also greeted in the lobby was Congressman McDermott, with his usual wide Washington smile and reassuring handshake. The congressman seemed at ease and at home, this being his 23rd visit to India but his first to Orissa.

Congressman Jim McDermott is met in the lobby of the Crown
Hotel in Bhubaneswar by members of the delegation.
He is flanked by Debadutta Dash and Ina Dash, with Itu Mohapatra
at right.

After getting refreshed changed in our rooms, the delegation made its way to the welcoming reception dinner, hosted by the very well known international film celebrity, Mr. Prashanta Nanda, the delegation from Orissa and Indian Rep. Mr. Akshay Parija.

(Dr. Antonio Sanchez is director of international relations for the Office of the Lt. Governor. Ina Dash is a 17-year-old student at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle and an intern for WASITRAC).

Children's program at Kalinga Stadium highlights Day 2 of itinerary

2010-11-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

This batch of photos came in today from Ina Dash with WASITRAC. Update: caption information now added. In general they are scenes from Day 2 of the mission: the delegation's visit to the Kalinga Institute of Technology and Science (KIITS and Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS) followed by a visit to Kalinga Stadium for a Children's Day Program then a formal dinner at the C.V. Raman Institute.

(Note: If you cannot see this embedded slide show on this page, you may also view directly on our web album).

Contributors and the mission itinerary

2010-11-12T09:51:00.001-08:00

The lieutenant governor and WASITRAC delegation are set to arrive in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, on Saturday.

We have 'recruited' three members of the delegation to contribute reports and photos to this space from their respective viewpoints as they travel. These include:

Dr. Antonio Sanchez, director of economic development and international relations for the Office of Lt. Governor.

Ina Dash, a 17-year-old student at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle. Ina served as a Senate page for the lieutenant governor for a week during the 2010 legislative session and is an intern with WASITRAC. She is also the daughter of Debadutta Dash, the co-chair of WASITRAC and lead organizer of this mission.

Diane Adachi, assistant vice president and special assistant to the Provost for International Relations & Protocols, University of Washington.

A list of all of the delegates, their biographies and their thoughts on the mission can be found on the mission itinerary.

Off to India

2010-11-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Lt. Governor Owen and delegation to promote Washington state

After spending the past several days in China, Lt. Governor Brad Owen will leave from there later this week for India, where he will spend nine days with a delegation to seek new opportunities for the state of Washington overseas.

The lieutenant governor’s India mission is on the heels of a four-day visit to India by President Barack Obama.

“Although this mission has been in the planning stages for about two years, the timing of our visit is working out especially well,” said Owen. “U.S. – India relations will be a topic of worldwide focus, and we will be there specifically to promote India relations with the state of Washington."

Among the delegation’s stops to promote Washington will be the Indian International Trade Fair in New Delhi.

In China the lieutenant governor joined a delegation of about 70 from Seattle’s Chinese community for an international convention of the Soo Yuen Benevolent Association in the city of Taishan in China’s Guangdong Province (along China’s southern coast near Hong Kong). The lieutenant governor, an honorary member of the association’s Seattle chapter, was invited to be a dinner speaker at the convention. The association, which supports charitable and civic causes, celebrated its 100th year in Seattle earlier this year. While in China the lieutenant governor met with government officials and university leaders in Meizhou City.

In India the lieutenant governor will first visit Bhubaneswar, the capital of the India state of Orissa on the nation’s east coast. There he will meet up with the Washington delegation he is co-leading with U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, on behalf of the Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC). McDermott and Owen were colleagues in the state Senate in the 1980s.

The delegation will visit the institutes of industrial technology and social sciences at KITT University; meet with Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, his cabinet and other top officials, and tour ports in the coastal state and make key business connections. They will be joined on the ports tour by Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani, who is interested in establishing formal ties between Seattle and ports in Orissa.

“India presents an enormous opportunity for expanded trade with Washington,” Lt. Governor Owen said. “India is the world’s largest free market democracy. Commercial investment opportunities are thriving there, and government policies make market entry and trade very easy. Moreover, India has not been affected by the financial crisis that has impacted the U.S. and much of the rest of the world.”

The lieutenant governor noted that trade between the U.S. and India is growing rapidly, up sharply over the past five years. Imports from India to the U.S. rose from $11.5 billion in 2003-04 to $20.7 billion in 2007- 08. India was the Washington's seventh top destination for exports in 2009, with $1.8 billion sent there from the state.

“Those numbers can no doubt be improved upon as India continues through an amazing period of growth,” the lieutenant governor said. “Our trade development mission to Orissa will open the doors to new and very exciting business, trade, education cultural opportunities in this key part of India.”

Neither mission is at taxpayer expense. He was not joined by staff on the China portion of his overseas mission, but will be joined by his director of international relations, Antonio Sanchez, in India. He is scheduled to return to Washington on Nov. 23.

Updates on the India portion of the mission will be posted on this blog.

Related:Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC)
Commerce Quarterly Trade Bulletin: Market Focus India (Washington Dept. of
Commerce, Sept. 2009)
India in the news:India's growth can lead to increased U.S. exports (U.S. Embassy
in New Delhi)
Perspective by Thomas L. Friedman in New York Times Expanding India economy looks toward trade opportunities with U.S.,
Washington (The Seattle Times, April 23, 2009)

Outcomes of Lt Governor Owen's week in China

2009-07-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Since our visit to China earlier this month, there have been some positive results of the mission. We were pleased to deepen relationships with our Chinese counterparts and make further economic development inroads for our state. Lt. Governor Owen summarized the highlights and important conversations that took place in a letter to Governor Gregoire.

These included:

* The signing ceremony between American Life Inc., a Seattle-based property investment and management firm, and agents from various provinces of China to enlist their services in signing up Chinese investors for American Life’s real estate projects, has shown immediate results. To date, four new investors have signed on to the Seattle regional center.

* Lt. Governor Owen signed a memorandum of understanding between his office and Hainan Province with the purpose of “enhancing and developing friendship and cooperation” and “promoting mutual understanding”. We expect to receive a delegation from Hainan Province later this year.

* We have met with the director of the Port of Seattle, Tay Yoshitani, to report on our meetings with the Port of Qingdao and Hainan Airlines and to discuss the expressed wish from Hainan Airlines and government officials in Hainan Province to increase Washington state-China tourism.

* I met with the director of government relations in the northwest region of the Boeing Co. to discuss the concern raised by the ministry of foreign affairs in China.

We relayed the Chinese government officials’ message regarding official contact with Taiwan to the governor.

Thank you for your interest in Brad Owen’s travel to the People’s Republic of China.

For the full text of the letter click here: http://www.ltgov.wa.gov/eletters/072709ChinaHighlights.pdf

From north to south: Hainan Province

2009-07-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

By Juliette Schindler Kelly
We drove straight from the Haikou, Hainan airport to a meeting with the president of Hainan Airlines Co, Mr. Wang Yingming and his associate. Hainan Air had its inaugural flight between Seattle and Beijing on June 9, 2008, the only flight it has to the U.S.

Lt. Governor Owen and Mr. Wang discussed the impact of the global economic downturn on air travel, and ways to fill the vacant seats and thus safeguard this important flight. Mr. Wang asked for helping promoting tourism to China, particularly to the tropical Hainan Province, in our state.

We then went directly to a signing ceremony between a Seattle-based company, American Life Inc. and new Chinese agents for promoting the EB5 investment program. Ray Klein, co-founder of American Life based in Japan, signed agreements with the agents for the federally-sponsored capital investment program which will help bring capital and jobs to the Puget Sound.

Lt Governor Owen made a short speech congratulating them. After a quick shower, it was time for the formal meeting followed by the dinner...you know the routine by now! Tonight we were hosted by Jiang Sixian, the vice governor of Hainan Province, a very amicable and (I was told by his colleague) very hard working man. Tonight was a little different from prior nights in that we had another signing ceremony after the formal meeting, this time a friendship agreement between Lt Governor Owen and the vice governor of Hainan Province, agreeing between their two offices to promote people-to-people contacts and 'trade and economic interflow'. An area of discussion, like with Hainan Airlines, was promoting two-way tourism.

In the morning we attended a graduation of the sixth grade class of Haikou #25 Primary School. It was an elaborate affair with the school band playing the music to Bonanza when we arrived and seating us at the front. After we heard the children speaking and reciting poetry, Lt Governor Owen spoke, then helped conduct for the children's orchestra. He was then asked to play a guitar and sing, so he did Puff the Magic Dragon for the children, who impressed us with their manners and talent.

We met with the principal, teachers and other school officials, and it was fascinating learning more about their education system. For those in the Olympia area, stop by the Lt. Governor's office to view the handouts from the school in our reception area.

For the last leg of our mission, we visited what the Chinese used to call 'the end of the world' and now they call it, if they're lucky, their vacation destination. Sanya, we were told by our meeting with the vice mayor Yao Lei, is the Miami of China and is on the same latitude. (Others called it the Hawaii of China...you get the picture. It is the only tropical city in China and the biggest seaside city with a population of 550,000. It's a young city, only 20 years old, and Mr. Yao said it's aspiring to be an international city and thus is welcoming investment as well as tourism.

We constantly searched for Washington wine and told our Chinese friends about it, gave it as presents in a few cases, but did not see any in our travels...or any American wine for that matter. However, we were pleased to see the Washington cherries at a grocery store as we were wandering through. A taste of home which brought a smile to our face, as we began to say our goodbyes and pack for home!

Photos: Top, Lt. Gov. Owen, center, with officials from Hainan Air and Juliette and trip coordinator Ron Chow. Center: Signing ceremony between Lt. Governor and officials from Hainan Province to promote friendship and trade. Lower right: Lt. Governor leads the band during visit with school kids at Haikou #25 Primary School. Bottom left: Discovery of Washington cherries.

Qingdao and Henan Province

2009-07-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

By Juliette Schindler Kelly
On Wednesday, I awoke to a beautiful day in Qingdao; apparently the brief but heavy rainfall had washed away the grayness in the air. I admired the view of the ocean, old-fashioned architecture and sculpture along with, of course, a large building being constructed (photo).

Then it was off to tour Haier, like Tsingtao Beer a company begun by the Germans if I understand correctly, but now a very successful Chinese company with a dazzling array of products tailored to and exported all over the world. Some of the products rivaled those in Microsoft's Home of the Future, like the sink with a mirror that recognizes the identity of the user and a welcome message appears on the mirror as the water is warmed to the user's preferred temperature.

Haier's grounds were amazingly planned and sculpted (photo) and we viewed a photo of Haier's impressive building in Manhattan. Next we visited Jimo City, hearing a presentation at
Chang International, a Seattle-based seafood company. The site in Jimo, Evergreen Foods, ships to the U.S. and Europe primarily from the nearby airport and port of Qingdao.

It is a community, with workers able to live, eat and shop at the site. They use increasingly more sustainable raw materials and grow organic vegetables on site for packaging with seafood to make meals. They see hatching fish, farming organic vegetables and processing as their future of value-added seafood. Jerry Chang, the president, received his master's degree from University of Washington fisheries school, a fact he was proud of, and in fact talked about possible exchanges between the U.W. school and his undergraduate fisheries school in Qingdao.

Jimo is one of the cities within greater Qingdao. As is the protocol for such meetings with government officials, we had a formal meeting with the first vice mayor of Jimo, Deyan Zheng, (photo) followed by a lunch banquet.
Again and again, the Chinese demonstrate their gracious hospitality including with these lunches, with smaller plates (like tapas) being served one by one while you choose from a variety of local dishes on what we'd call a Lazy Susan in the middle of the table.

Preparing banquets, welcoming their guests warmly, offering to carry bags (even when they are petite women about half your size!), and giving beautifully decorated gifts are all customs to show their friendship and develop 'guangxi' or a longer relationship.

The vice mayor expressed sincere interest in establishing a sister city relationship with a Washington city and we discussed possibilities to approach, thinking of which Washington cities might be a match in their economic bases.Then it was time to fly to Henan Province, a new region for both Lt Governor Owen and me. After landing in Zhengzhou we drove northwest to a city called Jiaozuo. We drove through green rural areas, with a lot of agriculture production, particularly cotton.

Unsurprisingly, textile production is an important industry in Jiaozuo. We crossed the wide Yellow River before entering the town. We were formally greeted in the city hall by the mayor Sun Litsun and his colleagues, along with the presence of local media (photo).

Again, the desire to find a sister city to form a friendship agreement with was put forth by this mayor. Then the vice mayor and foreign affairs officials hosted our dinner banquet, comprised of local foods and emphasizing food with herbal and medicinal qualities.

Although they didn't help apparently, I can't blame these properties for causing me to be up many hours that night with food poisoning, as my stomach upset had started earlier. Unfortunately, that seems to be one of the occasional and unfortunate consequences of traveling to a land with food and drink your body isn't familiar with, and my trusty kit of meds was soon put to use.

Shandong Province

2009-06-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

By Juliette Schindler Kelly
We took the bullet train for a little over four hours to travel from Beijing to Weifang, located in the middle of the Shandong Peninsula.

Weifang appeared to us to be a hidden Chinese treasure. It is renowned as the world's kite metropolis, with an international kite festival every April, and calls itself the vegetable basket of China. It also is known for its flowers, mineral resources and communications infrastructure. It is very clean and well cared for. We had only a short time to spend in Weifang but spent a pleasant evening with Dr. Wang Guiying, vice mayor, and were told by one of her staff that she was named one of the up and coming mayors in China.

In the morning I woke at 5:30 a.m. (a common tale to those who have traveled overseas) and realized that I wasn't going to fall back asleep. I debated about returning to the fitness area of the hotel that Lt. Gov. Owen and I had used the afternoon before. It was very different than most U.S. health clubs in that you are asked to change into special clothes that resemble short silk pajamas (pink for the ladies, gray or white for the men) and slippers, with the assistant standing close by to assist. You are then escorted to the elevator, every step of the way with hotel employees at hand, beckoning, pushing the elevator button, etc. (Leading me to contemplate on China's stated unemployment number of around 4% and what some of these 'jobs' pay. Does this fit the economic concept of underemployment or are these employees the lucky ones, to get jobs in a five-star hotel, even if to an outsider it appears to be “make work”?)

Anyway, I didn't feel like that much attention at this tender hour so threw on my running clothes and after politely say 'ni hao' to the desk clerk, asked if he could recommend a path to take. He frowned and told me the air is bad and I thanked him and asked again ... eventually we realized our communication barrier was to great and he told me to 'go right'. I enjoyed seeing the sights on foot and was impressed again with the lack of garbage and in fact recycling containers on the street. In addition to the ubiquitous bicycles and mopeds, there were some Chinese out jogging and doing tai chi.

It was not crowded though, and later that day we discussed that the 'cities' we are visiting sound huge but the term incorporates districts that we do not in our country. One source of information on Weifang says it has a population of 8.6 million, as Lt. Gov. Owen pointed out in a meeting about 2 million more than the state of Washington. But this source describes Weifang as having under is jurisdiction 4 districts, 6 cities, 2 counties, and 3 municipal development zones. Clearly not a city in the American sense.

We took a two-hour bus ride to Qingdao, located on the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula and one of eastern China's major economic centers. It is known for Tsingtao beer and since the Olympics, for the Qingdao International Sailing Center on Fushan Bay, site of the sailing competition. We visited both places and in the process learned about the history and economy of the area. Tsingtao beer was established by the Germans during their control of the city, an unusual circumstance in China. Some of the architecture reflects this heritage, particularly in the old town area.

Like the Puget Sound area, Qingdao is rich in seafood and other natural resources. We were honored to have Tian Guangwen, the director and vice president of Qingdao Port, join us at the dinner that the Qingdao Municipal Foreign Affairs Office graciously hosted. The Port of Qingdao and Port of Seattle share a friendship agreement, also commonly called sister ports. We learned more at the dinner about the growth and record volumes of Qingdao Port, one of the very largest in the country.

Photos: At top is the fountain, complete with beer bottle and cups) at the Tsingtao brewery and museum; at center is Lt. Gov. Owen with the Port Director Tian Guangwen. At bottom right the lieutenant governor is with Feng Bin, deputy director of the Qingdao Municipal Foreign Affairs Office.

Our arrival, visiting The Great Wall - and a chat about Taiwan

2009-06-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

Lt. Gov. Owen, Trooper David Putnam and I arrived in Beijing after a long but uneventful flight, other than the unfortunate four passengers around my seat who became nauseated from the turbulent landing, and the unusual feeling of having a masked silent agent hold a thermometer in front of your forehead before you could get up from your seat. We were whisked off by our hosts to a very Chinese-feeling holding room at the airport, with a lush red rug and oversized upholstered chairs arranged in a ring around the rug.

Soon our passports were returned to us and Annie Zhou (who assists the trip organizer, Ron Chow) and I found a taxicab and were on our way to the Great Wall. After 45 minutes or so, we arrived and I excitedly led Annie up the very steep and uneven steps to a structure where we stepped out of the heat to recover our breath and look at the view.

Just like everyone who visits the Great Wall, I'm sure, I marveled at how on earth it was done...on the backs and even graves of many Chinese we were to hear during our visit. We hit rush hour traffic on the way back to the hotel and quickly showered and convened with the rest of the group in the lobby and loaded a van for the Diaoyutai State Guest House. I had heard about this compound before but upon entering the gates, was struck by the beauty of the grounds and the buildings.

We were taken to an exquisitely decorated room where Lt Governor Owen was seated next to our host, Mr. Chen Zuming, Secretary General of the Chinese Association for International Friendly Contact. The rest of our group sat in the chairs lining the side, as is the protocol for these meetings. Mr. Chen and Lt. Governor Owen spoke for nearly an hour, with a large segment of the conversation focused on the China-Taiwan relationship and Mr. Chen asking about the Washington state relationship with Taiwan. Mr. Chow joined us with a new member of our group whose plane from Washington DC was delayed by late departure and some passengers being quarantined due to fever.

Upon Mr. Chow and Mr. Blum's arrival, we moved to the dining room, where we were treated to a delicious dinner and told by the manager a bit of the history of the State Guesthouse, such as it was originally built for a royal fishing site. We drove back to the hotel and collapsed into bed after many hours without uninterrupted sleep.

The next day - surprisingly, already Monday due to the crossing the date line, talk about your weekend going too fast! We had a meeting with the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs at the impressive ministry site. Mr. Lu Hongbo greeted us in a formal meeting room and talked with the lieutenant. governor about the history of US-China relations, trade relations, Washington state and again, appealing for U.S. political support for China's 'One China' policy with Taiwan.

Minister Lu recalled that as a young farmer in 1971 he was shocked when we learned that Henry Kissinger was officially visiting (he added that Kissinger was visiting China at that moment as well).

He states now the US and China have a $330 billion US dollar bilateral trade relationship, so clearly when one side has a problem it affects the other. He complimented Washington state on its support of free trade and stated that to revitalize the ailing world economy, the US and China must both oppose trade and investment protectionism.

He appealed to the lieutenant governor to encourage congressional members to stand firm on free trade. Lt. Gov. Owen talked about the diversity of opinions and even within our state the regional and political differences - including differences on trade issues.

Minister Lu asked about our state's relationship and trade level with Taiwan. He stated tension has been relaxed between Taiwan and China recently under the new leader of Taiwan, Ma, but stated firmly that China will do whatever it can to improve relations - but with one thing in mind...a One China Policy. (He noted Taiwan sending observers to the World Health Assembly was alright but an isolated case, not a precedent as most international organizations require members to be sovereign states).

Lt Gov. Owen applauded the WHA decision due to the importance of sharing health information and Taiwan being a region of 23 million people. The minister asked Lt Governor Owen to discourage official contact with Taiwan.

The minister also spoke about Airbus' growing presence in China, including assembling the A320 in China for the first time and going from 15 to 40 percent of the Chinese market and the challenge this presents Boeing. In parting, the two discussed the delegation's visit and agreed that China and U.S. will continue to improve their relations.

Photos: At top right, Lt. Gov. Owen exchanges gifts with Mr. Lu Hongbo, China's assistant minister for foreign affairs. At center, Juliette Schindler Kelly enjoys some quick sightseeing. Bottom: Lt. Gov. Owen with Mr. Chen Zuming, secretary general of the Chinese Association for International Friendly Contact.

Preparing for takeoff

2009-06-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

We met our hosts in China in April in Lt. Governor Owen's office and look forward to meeting the trip coordinator, Ron Chow (right of above photo) and Mr. Wang Xiwei of the Chinese Association for International Friendly Contact) upon arrival in Beijing.

As final preparations are made for mission to China -- just like with any foreign mission with an elected official -- there are last-minute details to check. One of those is checking the latest travel alert to be prepared for the possibility of quarantine upon arrival. Not wanting to be in a situation like Mayor Nagin of New Orleans, I am trying to get enough sleep and take my multi-vitamins! Beyond that, it's hoping the eleven plus hour economy flight won't raise my temperature one degree...

A common question before leaving is "So, are you ready?" And I always finding myself answering "Well....almost...?" After staffing the lieutenant governor on four missions and doing the legwork for others, I have come to terms with the fact that there is never truly a final itinerary and the key to success is flexibility...and a sense of humor.

News release on China trip

2009-06-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Our communications office just posted the news release on the upcoming mission to China that provides details about the trip:

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Lt. Governor Owen leads mission to China

Lt. Governor Brad Owen will depart for a trade and goodwill mission to China on Saturday, June 27, where he will meet with leaders in two provinces, visit with schoolchildren and sign an agreement to promote business and friendship exchanges between his office and Hainan Province in southern China.

For the first time, the lieutenant governor invites Washington residents to share his weeklong travels by following along on a new blog to be updated along the way. Postings on the blog, found at http://www.overseaswithbrad.blogspot.com/, will be by the lieutenant governor or his chief of staff, Juliette Schindler Kelly, who will accompany him on the mission.

After a brief overnight in Beijing and dinner with Ambassador Ding Yuanhong, the lieutenant governor will travel to the city of Qingdao in Shandong Province on China’s east coast, where he will witness the signing of an economic development agreement between a Seattle-based investment group under US sponsorship and local investment firm agents from the region.

He will also visit the city of Haikou in the south east province of Hainan, where he will meet with Jiang Sixian, the vice governor of Hainan, and other provincial leaders. The lieutenant governor will sign an agreement “to promote people-to-people friendly contacts and economic and trade interflow between the two sides, and actively carry out exchanges and cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture, education and others.”

The lieutenant governor is also scheduled to visit an elementary school in that province – something he tries to do on nearly every foreign mission he takes.

This will be the lieutenant governor’s eighth mission to China since being elected as the state’s second-in-command in 1996.

“It is very important, especially in these lean economic times, to strengthen our international relationships and find new ways to stimulate trade,” Lt. Governor Owen said. “These missions help keep Washington state visible with our top trading partners.”

Mainland China was one of the state’s leading export destinations in 2008, with exports totaling nearly $10 billion. The mission, coordinated by Seattle businessman Ron Chow, is hosted by the Chinese government.

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