From February to March in 2010, US-China Foundation was in active preparation for a study tour of Chinese elites to the United States in the name of "A New Chapter in Memory of Flying Tigers（American Volunteer Group）”.
On March 19—21, 2010，2010 Bo'ao International Tourism Forum was held in Sanya. President Larry Li arrived early and had a full participation in the forum, while dozens of distinguished guests including former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke were also present.
On the evening of March 20, at Mangrove Tree Resort , Luo Baoming, Governor of Hainan Province，extended a warm welcome to the guests home and abroad on behalf of Hainan Province. In his speech, Governor Luo made a special mention of the letter of congratulation by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous movie star and Governor of California invited by US-China Foundation, winning warm applause. At the end of his speech, Luo warmly invited the guests to have a pleasant immersion in Hainan: sunshine, beach,etc.
Subsequently, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a well-received speech on tourism and international cooperation, winning enthusiastic applause.
And March 21 featured the official starting of the Forum. Leaders of Chinese government departments like Liu Yunshan, Cai Wu, Shao Qiwei and international celebrities made important speeches in succession.
During the Forum, President Larry Li held pleasant conversations respectively with leaders in Hainan, including Wei Liucheng, Luo Baoming, Chen Ci(Haikou municipal party secretary ), Jiang Zelin (Sanya municipal party secretary). And in the afternoon, various sub-forums were conducted and warm discussions held, the highlights of which are: the Round Table of Ministers, the media elite meeting—media and tourism theme forum, culture, sports and tourism theme forum, informatization and tourism theme forum,etc. President Larry Li took part in the two sub-forums of media and cultural development. The whole event proclaimed a complete success.
This Forum is the largest-scale international forum in the history of Hainan with nearly 2000 participanting representatives of all circles. As early as two years ago, in March 2008, US-China Foundation initiated the proposal of “Hainan International Tourism Forum “ and submitted the overall program to Hainan provincial publicity office(with Zhou Wenzhang as the minister then) and Hainan provincial tourism administration(with Zhang Qi as the director then), on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Hainan. President Larry Li flew to Hainan together with his assistants Qi Ping and Liang Shuang, and consequently the Hainan office of US-China Foundation was established. Then in April, President Larry Li paid special visit to the five-star hotels(Horizon, Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott ,etc) in Hainan for investigation and narrowed down the location of main Forum to Horizon and Sheraton. The whole proposal was warmly welcomed by Hainan Vice Governor Chen Cheng( in charge of tourism) and other important leaders in Hianan provincial publicity office, Hianan provincial tourism administration and Sanya City.
Now two years from then, in 2010, the Forum was successfully held in Sanya, benefitting from the central government of China’s great decision to turn Hainan into an international tourist paradise. Hence history confirms the great wisdom and strategic vision of the senior leaders of US-China Foundation, who anticipated the coming prosperity of Hainan even five or six years ago and made steady progress in its investment.
US-China Foundation will continue its contribution to build Hainan into build Hainan into an international tourist destination, paying close attention to the development of Hainan, participating in Hainan investment, promoting the construction of culture and education most needed by Hainan,
On March 22, after forum closure, President Larry Li reached Haikou in the special car provided by the Organizing Committee. And ignoring travel fatigue, he paid an inspection visit to Hainan office of US-China Foundation.
During his stay in Haikou, President Larry Li met with Hainan provincial government officials, entrepreneurs and friends in the field of culture and arts, and talked about the development planning and cooperative target of US-China Foundation in Hainan, thus making substantial progress in following undertakings: Lang Lang the pianist will be the Art & Culture Ambassador of Hainan the international tourist island, assist in the promotion of Hainan the international tourist island in the United States, arrange for Governor Luo’s visit to the United States, promote culture and education industry,etc. (President Larry Li also met with Ye Zhanghe, Director of Provincial Department of Commerce, Song-Lin Zhang, Deputy Minister of Provincial Publicity Office, Ding Hui , Master of Provincial Television, Yinjie Yu, Chief Editor of Southern Metropolis Daily, etc..)
On March 29, President Larry Li revisited Sanya and further confirmed the implementation of cultural and educational projects as well as the establishment of sub office in Sanya.
