Posted on: Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Negotiations slow on visa waiver for Asians
By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer
State government and visitor industry officials from Hawai'i continued to strengthen ties with China during a just-concluded trade mission, but progress on resolving visa issues for Chinese tourists remains slow, said Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday after a 10-day trip to the region.
Photos by lee Jin-Man • Associated Press "We were working the visitor industry from a number of different angles, but again, I don't expect visa waivers anytime" soon, Lingle said at a news conference at the University of Hawai'i focusing on progress during the trade mission to China and South Korea.
While the primary purpose of Lingle's trip was commerce and trade, the governor also took time out to meet with U.S. troops from Hawai'i stationed at a U.S. military base in Seoul.
After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Chinese visitors to the United States dropped off, even as their numbers to other destinations continued to grow. Chinese tourism officials say strict new U.S. visa rules, including requirements for fingerprinting, photographs and interviews, are keeping Chinese visitors away.
Meanwhile, the state-led mission helped spread an awareness of Hawai'i's unique role in the Pacific region by demonstrating Hawai'i's awareness of regional issues and customs, the governor said.
"And we ate everything they gave us," Lingle said. "You can just imagine an Iowa delegation.
"It brought it home to them, it brought it home to us, that we are a part of the Asia-Pacific region. We're America's best hope for good relations as a state."
The technology development corporation also is being courted by two other China business parks, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
The business development trip cost state taxpayers an estimated $151,000 and included about 200 business leaders, entertainers and state officials.
In other business yesterday, Lingle signed bills extending fiscal autonomy for the University of Hawai'i and the Department of Education, and authorized the issuing of $100 million in bonds to finance maintenance and construction of UH student housing.
Reach Sean Hao at shao@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8093.
The Hawai'i officials would like the United States, China and South Korea to relax visa requirements, opening the United States to greater numbers of Asian visitors.
Hawai'i Gov. Linda Lingle addressed U.S. troops from Hawai'i deployed in South Korea on Sunday at a U.S. military base in Seoul. Lingle has just completed a 10-day visit to China and South Korea.
According to state officials, one of the more significant accomplishments of the trip was an agreement between the Hawaii High Technology Development Corp. and the Zhongguancun Incubator Program in a business park northwest of Beijing that will help five to 10 established Chinese companies each year launch U.S. operations in Hawai'i. The agreement also would give Hawai'i businesses access to the business park.
Gov. Linda Lingle, left, discussed attracting more tourists from South Korea with South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon at a luncheon meeting on Friday in Seoul.
