JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and Gov. Linda Lingle shared a laugh at last night's reception at Washington Place. Wu's contingent is exploring investment opportunities en route to Washington, D.C.

Hawaii and China to unite on tourism

The U.S. hopes to gain visitors in exchange for sharing expertise

Hawaii and China signed an agreement yesterday that the 50th state hopes will boost Chinese travel to the islands and that China hopes will win it access to Hawaii's tourism management expertise.

Hawaii is eager to lure more of China's increasingly prosperous international travelers to the islands to support the state's tourism industry.

The number of Chinese visitors to the state is already rising -- climbing 34.5 percent in 2004 from the year earlier to 34,216 travelers. But Hawaii captured just a fraction of the roughly 27 million Chinese who traveled overseas that year.

Japan is the single largest source of foreign tourists in Hawaii, with 1.48 million Japanese visiting these islands in 2004.

The agreement "helps us to continue to spread the word in China about Hawaii," Gov. Linda Lingle said. "When they think of a place to visit, we'd like them to think about Hawaii."

The governor signed the two-page document for Hawaii while Shao Qiwei, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, signed for his organization.

The agreement says the two sides will facilitate travel between China and the United States and outlines a program for Chinese tourism industry professionals to study in Hawaii.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said at the ceremony that Hawaii had important expertise in the fields of tourism planning, management and personnel training.

These skills could "serve as valuable reference for the Chinese tourism industry," she said.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Gov. Linda Lingle, Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona enjoyed a light moment last night while fielding questions from the news media at Washington Place.

There are obstacles to immediately boosting Chinese visitors to Hawaii, however.

The United States requires Chinese citizens to obtain visas before they arrive in this country.

China, meanwhile, has strictly limited overseas visits by its citizens to prevent illegal immigration and foreign currency outflows.

In the 1990s, Beijing eased these rules by allowing tourists to travel to Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations designated as approved destinations.

Since then the list of officially sanctioned travel spots has grown to 81 nations and regions. The United States, however, is still not on the list.

Jean Pierre Cercillieux, general manager of the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel in Waikiki, said few Chinese visit his hotel today, but they would be welcome.

"They have to experience the Hawaii hospitality, the Hawaii paradise," said Cercillieux, adding that yesterday's agreement was "a first step to the future."

Wu stopped in the islands on her way to Washington for bilateral trade talks. Her trip comes as the Bush administration is under growing pressure to take action over China's mounting trade surplus.

The vice premier will attend a Washington meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, a group set up to address economic disputes.

She is also due to meet U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman.

Wu's visit precedes a planned trip by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Washington later this month.