Office of the Historian – Researchers Dream

This goes under the category of “You learn something new everyday.”

It is safe to say that most researchers operate as a sort of combination detective/historian. They love the thrill of the hunt and don’t mind reading what would bore most other people to death. They want to know the facts about what, when, where, how, and why certain things happen. And who did it.

They seek source documents and love archives – whether the dusty boxed kind in poorly lit warehouses or the tidy electronic kind available in pdf format. Source documents and originals paperwork, necessary for sound research, is a thrill to get access to and better than ice cream.

Not having to pay for it is another.

Check out the Office of the Historian at the U.S. State Department website.  This site and it’s contents were discovered while studying the FOIA law on the State Dept. website.

(Digging into this State Dept. FOIA process was necessary because one of our document requests is getting nowhere.  It seems the State Dept. is having a hard time disclosing the actual Memorandum of Understanding Creating the U.S.-China Governors Forum, announced on January 19, 2011 by Sec. Clinton. This forum, sponsored by the National Governors Association and a Chinese group, is to meet in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 15-17, 2011 at the 5-star Grand American Hotel. For details on this event see the “Sleeping With the Enemy” post below.)

The Office of the Historian has lots of information, with one section called Foreign Relations of the United States, listing four administrations: the Kennedy Administration (includes pre-Kennedy documents); the Johnson Administration; and two Nixon-Ford administrations (the Nixon/Agnew/Ford years, and the Nixon/Ford/Rockefeller years.)

The Nixon-Ford eras are important because we are living with the results of having developed intimate relationships with what were the Communist bloc countries – the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China.  It is important to understand how the U.S. developed its current interdependency with the Chinese; this means one needs to understand Henry A. Kissinger, the man present before, during and after the Nixon-Ford years and instrumental in directing policy decisions regarding both the Soviet Union and “Red China”, as it is referred to in several of these archived documents.

Kissinger really liked the communists. And still does.

Click the link to historical Documents on Foreign Relations of the United States to see the four Administrations noted above.

Click Status of the Series to see new and upcoming additions:

Foreign Relations of the United States: Status of the Series

Volumes Published in 2011 (1)

1. 1969–1976, Volume E–12, Documents on East and Southeast Asia, 1973–1976 (March 3)

Volumes Published in 2010 (6)

1. 1969–1976, Volume XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969–1972 (May 4)
2. 1969–1976, Volume VIII, Vietnam, January–October 1972 (June 24)
3. 1969–1976, Volume VII, Vietnam, July 1970–January 1972 (September 8)
4. 1969–1976, Volume IX, Vietnam, October 1972–January 1973 (September 16)
5. 1969–1976, Volume X, Vietnam, January 1973–July 1975 (September 23)
6. 1969–1976, Volume XXXII, SALT I, 1969–1972 (November 5)

This last item – SALT I – is where the U.S. began to disarm while the Soviets built up armament.  Kissinger helped negotiate this treaty.

Bookmark this site – and dig in.

Next Stop: America – Chinese CEO’s Eye American real estate

Research on the deepening U.S. involvement with the communist Chinese revealed this:  the Next Stop America China 2011 conference promoted by a members-only organization called Golden Networking.

Golden is right since the focus of the conference is to instruct Chinese CEO’s how to invest in U.S. commercial and residential real estate, including a session called Leveraging Incentives and Government Relations.

Just in time to scoop up home foreclosures or those urban properties local municipalities are so anxious to develop?

Below is the Golden Networking description of the Next Stop America China 2011 conference:  (www.nextstopamerica.com, click Business Receptions, then scroll down through the list of events to see this one.):

Beijing: June 13th-14th 2011, InterContinental Beijing Beichen
Shanghai: June 16th-17th 2011, Radisson Blu Hotel Pudong Century Park

Download Information Package

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“Next Stop America China Conference 2011 is a comprehensive guide to the operational, legal, branding, professional, financing and investment services needed to launch and expand your company in America, through a world-class faculty:

• Structuring your Operations and Supply Chain: Michael A. Zakkour, Principal, Tompkins/Technomic Asia
• Practical Understanding of Legal Issues: Dan Harris, Principal, Harris and Moure
• The Secret Sauce for U.S. Branding and Marketing: Scott Markman, President, The Monogram Group
• Leveraging Incentives and Government Relations: Michael Press, President, Michael Press Consulting
• Overview of US Economy and Investment Environment and The Private Equity and Venture Capital Landscape: Ann Lee, Adjunct Professor of Economics and Finance, New York University
• The Art and Science of Successful M&A in America: Tripp Davis, Partner, 7 Mile Advisors
• Planning a Successful (and Rewarding) IPO on a U.S. Exchange: Lijie Zhu, Managing Director, Dragon Gate Investment Partners
• Commercial and Residential Real Estate Investing in America: Bruce Fogelson, Co-Chair, Roosevelt University China Initiative

As China transitions from a low cost manufacturing country to a well rounded economy that includes services and overseas expansion, the reality of landing your firm in America is here.

If Chinese business owners and CEOs are going to heed the government’s call to become more innovative, to create Chinese brands and to take their businesses abroad, they must understand what it takes to succeed in foreign markets and in the United States, in particular. Chinese business owners have been reluctant to take their businesses to America because they are uncertain about the market requirements and rules of doing business in America. Next Stop America China Conference 2011 will address what Chinese business owners need to know to enter and to actually succeed in the United States.” End of excerpt.

This event precedes the upcoming  U.S.-China 2011 trade conference, scheduled for July 14-17, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  This conference is to focus on trade, culture and education. Saturday’s agenda includes 3-hour session for U.S./China one-on-one business meetings.

What a coincidence that the National Governors Association (NGA) will be sponsoring the U.S.-China Governors Forum* right across the street at their own conference with Chinese party officials.  This NGA closed-door meeting includes one-on-one pairing with Chinese party officials to develop agreements on job creation, education, health and economic development.

We’re in trouble here.

*Repeated requests for a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding creating the U.S.-China Governors Forum, announced on the U.S. State Department’s website, have gone unanswered.  This effort will continue to be pursued by OK-SAFE.

Sleeping with the Enemy – U.S. Governors to Pair Up with Chinese Officials

OK-SAFE 6/6/11 – U.S. Governors will be saying more than “Ni hau” (Hello)  to Chinese party officials at an upcoming National Governors Association (NGA) meeting.

The U.S. – China Governors Forum, scheduled for July 15-17, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah, is set to include one-on-one pairing of U.S. Governors with Chinese provincial party secretaries and Governors.  The pairings, called “peer-to-peer exchanges,” aim to “strengthen bilateral cooperation.” Topics are to include items of “mutual interest,”  i. e. “job creation, education, health and economic cooperation.”

A second session will take place in China in late 2011 or early 2012.

This forum is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the establishment of the U.S.-China Governors Forum to Promote Sub-National Cooperation, signed by Sen. of State Hillary Clinton on January 19, 2011.

Secretary Clinton shakes hands with the Chinese foreign minister after the memorandum of understanding signing, 1/19/2011
Photo Source: U.S. Dept. of State

The Governors Forum will be held behind close doors.

[See researcher Vicky Davis’  excellent article on this meeting, entitled “Quislings to Collaborate with Communist Chinese.”]

The collaboration is indicative of the deepening U.S. involvement with the Chinese government, particularly at the sub-national (state and local) level.

Increased Agreements

At the Third Round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in May 2011 the U.S. and China agreed to 48 strategic outcomes, including “further cooperation between U.S. and Chinese enterprises and institutions on healthcare, disaster response, and smart grids.”

The Rhodium Group, (RHG) has a China Investment Monitor map, indicating that between 2003-2010 there were 230 deals between states and China, totaling $11.7 Billion in “greenfield and acquisition” investments. This includes Oklahoma.

Oklahoma

According to The Rhodium Group investment map, Oklahoma  has one  Chinese investment so far, totaling $4 million in “consumer products”.

Governor Mary Fallin, a member of the NGA’s Economic Development and Commerce Committee, will most likely be promoting more Chinese investment in Oklahoma.

From this committee’s May 2011 briefing:

“Attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the States
On May 17, 2011, the NGA Economic Development and Commerce Committee hosted a briefing for governors’ staff about the role of foreign direct investment from the perspective of U.S. subsidiaries of foreign parent companies. Topics discussed included how to recruit investment, tax challenges, conflict-of-laws and the importance of physical infrastructure to global competitiveness. Panelists: Tom Langan, director of U.S. government relations and public affairs, Unilever (NGA Corporate Fellow); Nancy McLernon, president and CEO, Organization for International Investment (OFII); and, John Lettieri, senior director of public policy and government affairs, OFII. Audio link (mp3)”

Oklahoma’s Dept. of Commerce promotes Foreign Direct Investment in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s universities have been busy developing Chinese partnerships, including OU’s Confucius Institute, which aims to “foster a permanent place for the teaching and study of Chinese in Oklahoma K-12 schools courses.”

Where’s the Document?

According to the Chinese Embassy in the U.S website, describing President Hu Jintao’s U.S. visit:

“During Hu’s January visit, the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding commissioning the CPAFFC and the NGA to create the governors forum mechanism.

According to the document, the forum will serve as an important communication platform aimed at promoting practical cooperation at the sub-national level in areas such as trade, investment, energy, environment and culture”

No amount of searching of the State Department, White House, and Chinese embassy websites has revealed the actual Memorandum of Understanding document.

A FOIA request for a copy of the MOU has been submitted to the State Dept.’s Office of Global Intergovernmental Affairs.

The 2011 NGA Winter Meeting , held in Washington D.C. featured Zhou Qiang, Party Secretary, Hunan Provincial Committee, pictured above.  Zhou encouraged increased sub-national cooperation. Photo Source: National Governors Association.

What are the intentions of the Fallin administration regarding expanding Chinese involvement in Oklahoma?

Does Gov. Fallin intend to partner with a Chinese party official at the July meeting in Salt Lake City and seek increased “sub-national cooperation”?

Does Fallin intend to encourage Chinese foreign direct investment in Oklahoma or seek public-private partnerships with the Chinese in developing Oklahoma’s infrastructure?

These and other questions need to be answered by this “conservative” governor.

Governor Fallin’s office contact information:
Phone: 405-521-2342
Email: info@gov.ok.gov

OK Health Insurance Exchange Update – Public Meetings this Fall

OK-SAFE, 6/6/11 – The substitute language for the failed HB 2130 (HUB board bill, establishing governance of the health insurance exchange) finally appeared in SB 971, introduced on 4/27/11.

Due to all the calls, emails and legislative visits by the Oklahoma grassroots, OK leadership decided not to hear SB 971, choosing instead to form a special joint legislative committee to study the issue this fall.

From a 5/23/11 Tulsa World article by Wayne Greene:

“OKLAHOMA CITY – Two Tulsa lawmakers have been chosen to deal with one of the hottest of political hot potatoes next fall.

Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Glen Mulready, R-Tulsa, are the leaders of a special joint legislative committee that will study how the state should respond to the federal mandate to create a state health insurance exchange.” Rest here.

These public meetings should be attended by everyone with concerns about the controversial health care reform act.

Contact Information:
Sen. Gary Stanislawski – stanislawski@oksenate.gov
Rep. Glen Mulready – glen.mulready@okhouse.gov