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Resolutions Adopted at the
67th Annual Conference of Mayors
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 11-15, 1999 |
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
SUPPORT FOR CHINA-UNITED STATES TOURISM
WHEREAS, the bond between the people of China and the people of the City and
Country of Honolulu is especially strong, due to the Sister City agreement forged in 1997
between Honolulu and the City of Zhongshan; and
WHEREAS, many member cities of The United States Conference of Mayors have
established Sister City agreements with cities in China; and
WHEREAS, international fellowship was celebrated recently in Honolulu at the
February, 1999 China-U.S. Conference of Mayors, when eight Chinese mayors, who represent a
total population of 82.5 million people, visited our city to discuss shared urban
challenges and the promotion of leisure travel between our two nations; and
WHEREAS, Chinese citizens are now traveling abroad in record numbers, offering
an enormous potential for tourism to the United States and the consequent reduction of
this country’s current $50 billion trade deficit with the People’s Republic of
China; and
WHEREAS, current procedures to obtain visas required for travel to the United
States are deemed arbitrary and restrictive due to the current policies of the United
States government; and
WHEREAS, developing better guidelines and procedures for travel to the United
States would bring mutual benefit to both the People’s Republic of China and the
United States; and
WHEREAS, this goal could be met if the United States Immigration and
Naturalization Service and the State Department developed a workable visa policy; and
WHEREAS, Honolulu, as the gateway that joins East and West, and whose large,
Chinese-American community has long-standing ties with cities in China would be designated
to develop and implement a pilot program for the purpose of easing travel restrictions,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors urges
the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the State Department to designate the City
and County of Honolulu to develop a visa policy which would promote and foster friendship
and trade between the People’s Republic of China and the United States.
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