Asian Affairs Center hosts Chinese officials
In addition to many Columbia citizens, a delegation of about 15 government officials from China was in attendance at Monday night’s city council meeting.
MU professor Robert Ross said the delegates were in Columbia for three months as part of a program designed to give them a taste of American culture. The officials, who came from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, were sponsored to come to the US by the Chinese government.
Gary Dou, the international program director for the Asian Affairs Center at MU, said while the delegates won’t be able to make broad changes to the way government works in China, they will take back some valuable lessons.
“Hopefully, when these young officials become senior state officials, they will change the system little by little,” Dou said.
He said the officials thought the process of city government was open and comprehensive.
“Its very refreshing to them; in China its all directed by the party,” Dou said.