China and back

Sorry for the lack of posts -- I've been in China for the last couple of days with spotty Internet service. I have lots to catch up on now that I have found a connection (it's a little after midnight here in Beijing on Friday, October 2).

Robbie Wills and I here on the 60th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China with a delegation of southern legislators made up of three Democrats and four Republicans representing the Southern Legislative Conference. Speakers from Louisiana, Alabama, and Missouri are here along with the Virginia Senate Pro-Tem and my counterpart in the Tennessee Senate, Leader Mark Norris. The trip is not taken at taxpayer expense.

We received a thorough briefing from the AEDC prior to our trip, and this mission is especially important and sensitive to Arkansas and Texarkana in particular because of the recent imposition of a tariff on Chinese tire imports to the United States. Of course, there's been lots of talk of potential tariffs from China on American poultry, which will cause some ears to perk up in Arkansas. Mr. Tung Chee Hwa (right with Robbie) told us during our meeting with him that these moves aren't good for either side. He's the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and he confided that many are disappointed in the action on Chinese tires. He mentioned protectionism several times during our conversation. Cooper Tire, by the way, opposed the tariff, but workers in the Texarkana plant, of course, supported the decision.