|
CHINA> National
![]() |
|
Elaine Chao shares childhood memories with netizens
By Xiao Yang & Zuo Likun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-08-25 23:57 US Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao hailed China-US sports exchanges and shared the story of her family's struggle with Chinese netizens on Monday. In town as head of the US presidential delegation at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, Chao took part in a China Daily online dialogue. Her father, James Chao, too participated in the session.
"President (George W.) Bush brought his father to Beijing, so I brought my father too," she said in a lighter vein. Elaine Chao, the first Chinese American, and also the first Asian-American woman in the US cabinet, is a popular figure in China. Citing Chinese basketballer Yao Ming who plays the NBA as a model athlete, the secretary hailed the exchanges of sportsmen and ordinary people between the two countries. "I think it's always very positive to have exchanges of all kinds, whether it be in sports or in people-to-people diplomacy. I think it behoves both of our countries to have an active exchange program," she said. Netizens and mobile phone users asked her thousands of questions, ranging from China's culture to the competition between Chinese and American workers for jobs. But her family's struggle after migrating to the US was the most common one. Elaine Chao was born in Taipei in 1953 and migrated with her family to the US when she was eight. She recounted the difficulties the family members faced in the early years of their migration when they had little knowledge about the US, its language and culture and even the American people's food habits. Her farther had to work three jobs to support the family, but managed to fund five of his six daughters' study in Harvard University, including Elaine's. "My parents never gave up hope. They were always optimistic, forward thinking … Being children of such parents, one can't help but try to do one's best to be worthy of their devotion," she said. James Chao, too, shared his experience with the netizens. He said his wife wanted to see all her children get the best of education. But, in true Chinese tradition, she also wanted them to get education according to their aptitudes. Describing Sunday's closing ceremony as "spectacular", Elaine Chao said the road China has taken merits attention. "I was here in 1979. China has made tremendous progress since then," she said. "I wish everyone interested in China or in China-US relations would take this journey from 1979 to 2008 with China." Chao's words struck a chord with the netizens. "I see in her the combination of a Chinese woman's mildness and an American politician's firmness and confidence," a young woman netizen said. |
阜城县| 当雄县| 大港区| 竹溪县| 武安市| 延吉市| 清远市| 景东| 沈阳市| 灵璧县| 象州县| 特克斯县| 彭水| 株洲县| 葵青区| 闸北区| 全州县| 庆阳市| 文安县| 沅江市| 安康市| 长治县| 偃师市| 崇左市| 灵武市| 文安县| 嘉善县| 宝丰县| 岳阳县| 文昌市| 博乐市| 白沙| 江城| 邮箱| 无极县| 赤峰市| 和林格尔县| 凤山市| 彩票| 环江| 朝阳区|