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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 24, 2002

EDITORIAL
Hawai'i-China film links a positive sign

Word that the Honolulu International Film Festival has linked up with prestigious Shanghai International Film Festival is more than good news for Hawai'i's arts reputation.

It is a signal that links between Hawai'i and booming China, already fairly strong, will become even stronger in the months and years ahead. This is good news for an economy that must diversify.

Japan, even with its ongoing recession, remains the strongest overseas "customer" for Hawai'i and will hold that position for some time to come.

But inevitably, Japanese travelers will seek out other destinations. So the time is ripe to begin building stronger ties with China.

Hawai'i has already signed trade and tourism agreements with China. In fact, we are the only state that has been allowed to set up full-time tourism promotion offices in China.

And by this fall, officials say, China is likely to offer direct, nonstop air service between Shanghai and Honolulu.

The linkage of these two film festivals will help strengthen ties between — and awareness of — Hawai'i within China.

Hawai'i has long bragged of its special relationship with China. And of course, we claim Sun Yat-sen as an adopted "son" since he received much of his schooling in Honolulu.

But connections such as this impressive linkage of the two film festivals, plus the gradually increasing trickle of visitors — for business and pleasure — from China suggest the relationship is now truly ready to blossom.