By Zhigang & Yuan Lin

James I.C. Chiang

One will first take notice of the striking couplet after entering the office of Mr. James I.C. Chiang, which is to the effect that“An aspiring person should pool together talented people and multinational companies from the world to rejuvenate our great motherland”, reflecting Mr. Chiang’s passion for his motherland. Although in his eighties, the open-minded Mr. Chiang still looks full of vigor. This year, the year of the dog, is also the year of“fate”for Mr. Chiang, as he was also born in a‘dog’year. He has been planning to launch another grand promotional event for the World Expo Shanghai by hosting a Sino-US Summit. Mr. Chiang spoke to us about his affinity for the World Expo.

Born in 1922 in Songjiang, Shanghai, he graduated from the Shanghai St. John’s University, majoring in Political Economy. In 1951, Chiang went to study in the US, and was engaged in petroleum exploration and development later. He holds a number of important positions, ranging from Chairman of the Asia Council of America, to head of the World Chinese Enterpreneur Association, Executive Vice President and President of Asia for US-based Grynberg Petroleum Company, and Director of the Shanghai International Culture Association. He has made many contributions to the protection of the interest of overseas Chinese, promoting the image of the Chinese as well as spreading the Chinese culture over the past fifty years in the US. What is particularly noteworthy is that he already established an affinity for the World Expo as early as in the 1960s, and he has been widely respected due to his marked contribution to the construction of the World Expo.

During the 1964-‘65 New York World’s Fair, the operation of the exhibition hall of Texas run into trouble due to management problems, and the organizers was planning to the demolish the pavilion to make room for other facilities. It was Mr. Chiang who invested 13 million US dollars to rebuild the Texas Pavilion into a carnival pavilion, making it the only entertainment facility for that Expo. Shortly after that, he participated in the construction of the Chinese pavilion during the World Expo 1970 Osaka, and he has won the‘Golden Shield Award’and a certificate awarded by the Osaka Prefecture government due to his achievements.

He was heartily rejoiced on hearing that the city of Shanghai has won the rights on December 3, 2002 to host the World Expo 2010 Shanghai. As one of the famous Chinese poems has it that one should return to his hometown when he is old after departure at an early age, Mr. Chiang returned to his hometown Shanghai. He proposed four suggestions, covering broad issues such as which organizations should be invited to the Expo and the timing of the World Expo, for the first World Expo 2010 Shanghai Forum, which was held at the end of October, 2003. One could easily discern his passion and his love for the country.

Mr. Chiang has always been concerned with the preparatory work for the World Expo Shanghai, and has been actively involved in various activities held by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination. In addition, he has been preparing for the Sino-US Summit, and hopes that senior leaders of the two countries, experts and specialists as well as entrepreneurs will attend the summit to contribute ideas for the Shanghai World Expo.

Pictures in this story:

1. Mr. Wang Daohan and James I.C. Chiang

2. Mr. Wu Jianmin, president of BIE and James I.C. Chiang.

3. Mr. Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, BIE Secretary General, and James I.C. Chiang.

4. Former US president Bill Clinton and James. I.C. Chiang.

James I.C. Chiang:“Folk Ambassador”to Write a New Chapter for Expo

By Zhigang & Yuan Lin

One will first take notice of the striking couplet after entering the office of Mr. James I.C. Chiang, which is to the effect that“An aspiring person should pool together talented people and multinational companies from the world to rejuvenate our great motherland”, reflecting Mr. Chiang’s passion for his motherland. Although in his eighties, the open-minded Mr. Chiang still looks full of vigor. This year, the year of the dog, is also the year of“fate”for Mr. Chiang, as he was also born in a‘dog’year. He has been planning to launch another grand promotional event for the World Expo Shanghai by hosting a Sino-US Summit. Mr. Chiang spoke to us about his affinity for the World Expo.

Born in 1922 in Songjiang, Shanghai, he graduated from the Shanghai St. John’s University, majoring in Political Economy. In 1951, Chiang went to study in the US, and was engaged in petroleum exploration and development later. He holds a number of important positions, ranging from Chairman of the Asia Council of America, to head of the World Chinese Enterpreneur Association, Executive Vice President and President of Asia for US-based Grynberg Petroleum Company, and Director of the Shanghai International Culture Association. He has made many contributions to the protection of the interest of overseas Chinese, promoting the image of the Chinese as well as spreading the Chinese culture over the past fifty years in the US. What is particularly noteworthy is that he already established an affinity for the World Expo as early as in the 1960s, and he has been widely respected due to his marked contribution to the construction of the World Expo.

During the 1964-‘65 New York World’s Fair, the operation of the exhibition hall of Texas run into trouble due to management problems, and the organizers was planning to the demolish the pavilion to make room for other facilities. It was Mr. Chiang who invested 13 million US dollars to rebuild the Texas Pavilion into a carnival pavilion, making it the only entertainment facility for that Expo. Shortly after that, he participated in the construction of the Chinese pavilion during the World Expo 1970 Osaka, and he has won the‘Golden Shield Award’and a certificate awarded by the Osaka Prefecture government due to his achievements.

He was heartily rejoiced on hearing that the city of Shanghai has won the rights on December 3, 2002 to host the World Expo 2010 Shanghai. As one of the famous Chinese poems has it that one should return to his hometown when he is old after departure at an early age, Mr. Chiang returned to his hometown Shanghai. He proposed four suggestions, covering broad issues such as which organizations should be invited to the Expo and the timing of the World Expo, for the first World Expo 2010 Shanghai Forum, which was held at the end of October, 2003. One could easily discern his passion and his love for the country.

Mr. Chiang has always been concerned with the preparatory work for the World Expo Shanghai, and has been actively involved in various activities held by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination. In addition, he has been preparing for the Sino-US Summit, and hopes that senior leaders of the two countries, experts and specialists as well as entrepreneurs will attend the summit to contribute ideas for the Shanghai World Expo.

Pictures in this story:

1. Mr. Wang Daohan and James I.C. Chiang

2. Mr. Wu Jianmin, president of BIE and James I.C. Chiang.

3. Mr. Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, BIE Secretary General, and James I.C. Chiang.

4. Former US president Bill Clinton and James. I.C. Chiang.