Friendship comes before business
Jerry Brown, the governor of California, visited China in June. Can you comment on the visit and China-California cooperation?
I know Governor Brown was excited to talk directly with President Xi Jinping during his visit. He wants to be part of China’s future, and so do we. He also wants to make sure that climate change is our No 1 priority. Xi knows he can do a lot and can guide the rest of the country. I also think when China looks at the United States, California has always been one of the strongest economic, educational, scientific and innovative voices.
How do you see the relationship between San Francisco and China?
Even though San Francisco is an international city, the relationship with China is one of the strongest, because the people in China and the people in San Francisco both want to make it stronger. We work hard at it. We were the first US city to establish a sister-city relationship with Shanghai. Over the years, the relationship has strengthened. We now have more than 10 friendship cities, including Qingdao, Wuhan and Chengdu.
What was your most significant experience in China?
One of the most significant trips was to go back to Sijiu town in Taishan county (Guangdong province) to visit the house where my dad was born and grew up, and the place where my mom and dad got married. To be part of the village gives me a sense of cultural identity and helps me understand why so many immigrants came to the US. They came to seek a new life, but they also left strong family ties.
When I made a trip to China for the first time in 1975 as a student that was significant, too. It was opening up. We had so many questions about how Chinese people were living, how my ancestors lived and how New China after 1949 looked. I remember at that time it was all about friendship — establish friendship first before business. As a mayor, I was able to create opportunities like ping-pong diplomacy. That’s why we have a citywide table tennis tournament, to remind everyone that these are the things that create relationships. It’s not just about business; it’s about relationships that will last well beyond a business deal.