September 16, 2011

Contact: Deena Mansour, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center project manager, 406-243-2713, deena.mansour@umontana.edu.

MANSFIELD CENTER HOSTS CHINESE DELEGATION
SPONSORED BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Chinese visit follows visit by Montana delegation to China in June 2011.

MISSOULA –
Twenty Chinese natural resource professionals have arrived in Montana in a two-way exchange program under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of State and organized by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center of The University of Montana.  The program sends Americans to China and brings Chinese to the U.S., all with the objective of increasing understanding of natural resource issues – and of one another.

In June 2011, a delegation including eight Montanans travelled to China for three weeks. The delegation of accomplished young natural resource professionals included representatives from across the state of Montana, from Miles City to Missoula, and a range of professions, from business, government, non-governmental organizations, and the media.  With stops in Beijing and throughout Guizhou province, the group visited historical and cultural sites, met with environmental non-governmental organizations, and participated in workshops with the Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau on provincial environmental issues and challenges. The group then divided into five teams to visit different sites throughout the province to study specific issues in their areas of interest.  These teams explored issues of relevance to Montana, including environmental outreach activities among indigenous communities; water supply and treatment issues; and community involvement in protected land areas.  Program co-director Suhan Chen noted, “What stood out to our delegation was not so much our differences – though there were plenty of those – but how much we actually share.”

Over the next month, the visiting Chinese environmental professionals from Beijing, Guizhou, Chongqing and Chengdu will travel to Glacier National Park, Helena, and the Flathead Indian Reservation to develop their understanding of environmental issues in Montana that parallel issues in their provinces. Members of the U.S. delegation are arranging visits with local businesses, NGOs, and state officials.

The Montana program will culminate in a public reception on Thursday, September 29, at 7:00 pm at the Northside’s Stensrud Building, at 314 North First Street West.  Join the group to learn about common natural resource issues shared between our two countries, personal observations based on their travel, and the announcement of the next opportunity for Montanans to travel to Asia on a different program theme.  Food and drink will be served.
For more information, see www.umt.edu/mansfield or call 243-2988.
 

Montana Delegation

• Mr. Jonathan Andrew DAVID, Natural Resource Specialist – Minerals, Bureau of Land Management, Miles City

• Mr. Matthew Stanton FRANK, Associate Editor, Missoula Independent, Missoula

• Mr. Ross Patrick KEOGH, Planner and Analyst, Sagebrush Energy, Missoula

• Ms. Melissa Deanne MITCHEM, Environmental Specialist, Industrial Energy and Minerals Coal Program, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Helena

• Ms. Rosemary Jan MOORE, Field Organizer, Northern Plains Resource Council, Billings

• Ms. Monica Lynn POKORNY, Wildlife Habitat Restoration Ecologist, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Polson

• Ms. Brianna Carolie RANDALL, Water Policy Director, Clark Fork Coalition, Missoula

• Mr. Joaquin Small RODRIGUEZ, Environmental Youth Organizer, Native Action, Lame Deer

Chinese Delegation

• Mr. CHEN Feng, Staff Researcher, Chongqing Museum of Natural History, Chongqing

• Mr. CHU Hao Engineer, Environmental Protection Industry Incorporated, Guizhou Institute of Environmental Science, Guiyang

• Ms. FENG Rui Xi, Program Director, Roots and Shoots, Chengdu

• Ms. GUO Dongmei, Professor of Law, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Chongqing

• Mr. JIN Xin, Assistant Director, Environmental Education for Chinese University Students, Peking University, Beijing

• Mr. LAI Kaidi, Vice Section Chief, Technical Section, Guizhou EPB Evaluation Center, Guiyang

• Ms. LI Li Staff, Ecological Protection Department, Zunyi Environmental Protection Bureau, Zunyi

• Mr. LI Shen, Officer, Brooks Education Consulting Centre, Beijing

• Mr. LI Xin, Public Participation Coordinator, E-Government Center, Guizhou Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau, Guiyang

• Mr. LIANG, Juan Journalist, Guizhou Environmental News Agency, Guiyang

• Mr. LIANG, Sheng Assistant Engineer, Chishui National Nature Reserve Administration, Chishui

• Ms. LIU Lisha, Director, Two Lakes, One Reservoir Foundation, Guiyang

• Mr. LIU Hua, Project Manager, Cenergy Corporation, Guiyang

• Mr. NING, Zengping Assistant Professor, Environmental Geochemistry and Human Health, Guiyang

• Mr. NIU, Kefeng Engineer, Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve Administration, Jiangkou

• Ms. SHU Ying, Section Chief, Supervision and Regulation, Environmental Protection Bureau, Bijie

• Ms. SU Yuanyuan, Associate Director, Pollution Control Department, Guiyang Environmental Protection Bureau, Guiyang

• Ms. QIN Zhen, Deputy Director, Jinsha Environmental Protection Bureau, Jinsha

• Ms. XIANG Qingqing, Educator, Environmental Education Center, Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau, Guiyang

• Mr. XU Lei, Environmental Consulting Engineer, Cleaning Development Centre of Guizhou, Environment Science Research Institute, Guiyang