Meeting Report from June 18, 2002

Meeting

Rotary Wheel

Report

June 18, 2002
By HENRY H. BOSTIC, JR.

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     Retiring Queens College President Billy Wireman delivered his fifteenth annual report on the status of U.S.-Chinese relations to Charlotte Rotary, and in general the news was more positive than usual.
     Said Wireman, who retires at the end of the month as the nation's second longest serving college president and the longest to serve at Queens (since 1978), "In the context of the post-9/11 new world, there are few beneficial byproducts, but one of those has been to bring China, Russia, and America closer together. And that happened through this tragic event."
     "Why have these three former enemies come closer together?" asked Wireman, who just returned from his most recent trip to China and other Asian countries.
     "Russia has its own Muslim challenge in Chechnya," he said, answering his own question. Presidents Bush and Putin have just signed a new ABM agreement. Russia's coming into NATO and there's growing support for her membership in the European Union. The country has had 5 percent growth for the past three years.
     "Russia is a friend," said the honorary member of Charlotte Rotary. "And that is good because they still have 25,000 nuclear weapons they don't know how to get rid of, and they don't want our help. They are decaying and it's terrifying."
     Said the former president of Eckerd College, China, too, has a Muslim problem — 7 million people in the far west of China who are part Pakistani and part Afghan. "Chinese Muslims have been trying to break away a long time. That's why they joined the War on Terrorism. They want our help."
     Boeing just built a plane for the Chinese president, Wireman said. It had 82 bugs. Formerly this would have been an international incident. This time it was just dismissed. "It's very clear that China wants our technology and our capitalist knowledge and to be part of the modern world," he said. "That's definitely encouraging!"
     Said the expert in Asian affairs, "There are only three powers in the world capable of disrupting the world balance — Russia, China, and America. Japan has the money but not the muscle. The EU doesn't have the military power. No other country has the power. If these three have decided to start the 21st century peacefully, we ought to rejoice. The seeds are there."
     Returning to his theme from years past, Wireman said, "We're looking at the biggest numbers game in the history of the world. A market of 1.3 billion people."
     But, he said, China has stiff challenges, mostly internal. He noted that there are in essence two Chinas: 900 million peasants in the far west of the country who have an average per capita income of $300 to $400 a year. That's social dynamite. There are 400 million in urban areas in the east of the country "who are in the globalization loop. Their incomes are rising. They are part of the capitalist system." How China deals with these "two countries" will spell success or failure.
     Another great challenge is corruption. It's endemic in the country because there is so much concentration of power.
     "Unemployment is staggering." 175 million are out of work. Another 50 to 60 million Chinese face losing their jobs if the government withdraws the props from 100,000 non-profitable state-owned enterprises. The World Trade Organization has said the bankrupt SOEs must be eliminated. "This is absolute social dynamite."
     Taiwan is a nagging issue. But Wireman said he has hope that the two countries will settle this question without going to war. Their economies are too intertwined. They need each other too much. "Let trade, transportation, and communication drive relations," he said.
     Taiwan has more than $90 billion invested in China. More than 900,000 Taiwanese live in Shanghai. Some 90,000 small entrepreneurs are invested on the mainland. "There's just too much economic linkage. Business interests have too much at stake."
     But Wireman did say, "China is scared to death of the robust democratic society in Taiwan." First and foremost, the Chinese leaders want to stay in power. That's why they crush any potential threat.
     The outgoing Queens CEO did make a couple of points about immigration. He noted that nothing the Japanese have tried has fixed its economic problems. However, population growth — or lack of it — is Japan's real problem in the future. With a "no immigration, no citizenship for others" policy, Japan faces a 50 million decline in population during the next 50 years.
     The same is true for most western democracies with their low birthrates. The only reason America has escaped this is because of a positive immigration policy.
     In closing, Wireman said, remember, "The Chinese want to be rich!" That will drive their policy decisions and relations with the United States.
      Former president Lee Morris substituted for Don Steger who was supposed to preside for President Jim. "We don't know where Don is," Lee said. Lee announced that John Stedman had replaced Tom Robertson on the board since Tom is now president-elect.
     He also announced that since the Holiday Inn on Independence Blvd. has closed, the Charlotte North club is now meeting at SMS Catering on Norland Road and that Charlotte East is looking for a place and "not meeting currently."
     Bob Freedman introduced guests and visitors. Bob Webb gave the Health and Happiness report, mentioning that Ed Pickard is recuperating from surgery at Wesley Nursing Center. His "How hockey is better than sex" quips left Lee somewhat red-faced. "This would have to happen on my watch. Bob, we're going to miss you." Richard Bailey gave the invocation.
     Others at the head table included Ray Killian, Ken Harris, Luther Fincher and Carol Jordan, who introduced her boss, Billy Wireman.

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MULTIPLE PAUL HARRIS FELLOW GUIDELINES

Eligibility:

To be eligible for Multiple PHF recognition, an individual must first be a Paul Harris Fellow. It does not matter whether the original contribution was made by the Fellow or someone else.

PHF Makes Additional Contribution:

For each $1,000.00 contributed by the Paul Harris Fellow, he/she is eligible to receive a new PHF pin with an additional sapphire, up to a maximum of five. The donor can also designate a new Paul Harris Fellow with each $1,000.00.

Individuals, Clubs, and Districts Can Honor a PHF with a Pin:

If an individual, club or district contributes $1,000.00 it can waive its right to name a PHF and instead have the $1,000.00 credited to an existing PHF for a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow pin.

Some Interpretations:

1. A Rotarian, who is already a PHF, contributes $2,000.00 to name his or her spouse and child Paul Harris Fellows. The Rotarian would be entitled to a new PHF pin with 2 sapphires.

2. A new donor, who is not a PHF, contributes $5,000.00. The donor would be entitled to a PHF for himself or herself, four PHF's for other individuals and a PHF pin with 4 sapphires.

3. A PHF contributes an additional $500.00. The donor's club matches it with $500.00 and the PHF names his/her spouse a Paul Harris Fellow. The donor is not eligible for a 1 sapphire pin until an additional $500.00 is contributed.

4. A PHF contributes an additional $1,000.00 and therefore is eligible to receive a 1 sapphire pin. In addition, the donor can waive the right to name a new PHF and instead ask for a sapphire pin for another existing PHF.

NOTE: MULTIPLE PAUL HARRIS RECOGNITION IS NOT AUTOMATIC, IT MUST BE REQUESTED BY THE DONOR OR HIS CLUB.

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POWELL'S
OBSERVATIONS

POWELL MAJORS

POWELL MAJORS

U.S. Olympic President Sandra Baldwin, speaker at the combined Rotary Club meeting earlier this year, recently resigned after admitting that she lied about her academic credentials.

Mary Mack was named one of the 40 people under 40 who are making major strides in their careers and impacting the community by the "Business Journal."

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