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28 April

Today I reflected on how my life was changed so dramatically in a spiritual way more than 30 years ago and I embarked on a systematic and unrelenting journey of education, social awareness and personal skill development. I feel that this period of time is a moment of similar effect and I am developing plans for the final productive phase of my life.

My ideas on the developments in China have expanded by seeing with my own eyes the scope of the construction of New Harbor City and visiting the university district here in Nanhui.

When I contemplate the many thousands of university students that will graduate and be entering social life, working and establishing homes; and the building of the new city, port and the social structure that that entails, I no longer believe that the vacancy rate is as problematic as I previously imagined. What is happening here will inexorably alter the shape of world economics and politics. The determination and the capability of China are undeniable. It truely is a matter of cooperate and participate in a new global reality or hide your head in the sand and live with the consequences of ignorance. The material and economic system of the world has changed. China is undeniably playing a major role. The people of China want to participate in a peaceful evolution of global interdependence. They are assuredly confident and will not submit to repression. The dragon is awake and it is friendly. It is friendly, but not submissive nor subservient. Learn to live with the dragon — observe and learn to cooperate and profit by what the dragon does.

The climax of the day was at supper time. I was the honoured guest of some of the the officials of the District of Nanhui including Magistrate Wan Da Ning and Deputy Director Min Shedong of the Foreign Affairs Office.

Magistrate Wan spent much of the dinner time elucidating the plans, activities and challenges of building the new city that is expected to be established by 2020. He explained in very strong and clear terms his desire to see the relationship with Canadians grow to include the involvement of Canadians in some aspects of the project. He stated the hope to visit Kelowna where he would like to sign an agreement to establish a sister city relationship and also extended his warmest invitation to Mayor Walter Gray to come and visit Nanhui so that he can see for himself the seriousness of the development that is taking place here.

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