LAGSCA Directors, Members and Friends Welcome the Year of the Pig

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The Association celebrated the Chinese New Year on February 24 at the Chinatown institution Ocean Seafood along with many guests and friends. A good time was had by all.

Vice-Consuls Shao Junying and Cao Ting represented the the China Consulate. Consul Shao’s remarks concerning the trade talks between China and the US were well received and struck an optimistic note. Our old friend and supporter Tom Gilmore, Chair of LA Sister Cities International Committee, helped to perk up the festivities. Delta’s Flora Wong came with presents that were auctioned and raffled off. Mt. St. Mary’s University was represented as in past New Years banquets with a group of exchange students from China and Japan.

Our longtime president Mrs. Katherine Whitman announced her retirement as president of the LAGSCA. Because of her longtime service to the Association and in the mission of fostering friendly relations between the cities of Los Angeles and Guangzhou, Mrs. Whitman was given the distinguished award of Guangzhou Honorary Citizen. Mr. Jeffrey Cheung and Dr. Peter Antoniou will take over as Co-Presidents of the LAGSCA.

As an extra added bonus and dose of excitement former LA City Councilman from the 4th District, and all-around fun guy to be around, Tom LaBonge made a surprise appearance. As he has done throughout his political career Tom spoke of the importance of people to people engagement and how organizations like LAGSCA do so much to build these important grass roots relations.

Even on Oscar night so many guests and VIP’s joined together to celebrate the Chinese New Year and show support for the LA-Guangzhou Sister City Association. Be looking for many upcoming events during this Year of the Pig.

Bee Canterbury Lavery 1926 - 2018

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It is with great sadness that we share with you the news that one of our founders, Bee Canterbury Lavery, recently passed away. Bee had been the Chief of Protocol under Mayor Tom Bradley for 17 years and was instrumental in securing the sister city relationship between Guangzhou and Los Angeles.

She served the association as Secretary General and led many influential delegations to China as well as receiving many high ranking Chinese officials in Los Angeles. After retiring from city government she joined the United States Government State Department helping to establish the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles.

After her service to the State Department she was founder and president of International Executive Protocol traveling internationally, especially to China, to share her expertise with business and government leaders.

Although she had traveled the world her first love was China and special favorite city was Guangzhou.

LAGSCA HOSTS DELEGATION FROM GUANGZHOU

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On July 19, 2017, LAGSCA officers hosted a visiting delegation of our good friends and partners from the Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office. The delegation of seven members was led by Madame Chen Jie.

The group had flown into Los Angeles that day from our mutual sister city of Auckland, New Zealand. This trip was in advance of the 2017 Tripartate Economic Summit to be held in Guangzhou November 8-10. This summit is being billed as one that will converge innovation and Business Opportunities. Any members interested to attend the summit should contact the LAGSCA by email. Everyone here is very excited about the prospects of this year's summit.

It was a pleasant evening of good food and good service at one of the longtime stalwarts of LA Chinatown, Ocean Seafood. This dinner was another pleasant opportunity for two old friends, our Association and the Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office to spread good cheer and enjoy informal discussion on the upcoming summit and matter of current interest.

Bilen Fraye also joined us from Sister Cities of Los Angeles. With so much going on between Los Angeles and the city of Guangzhou in the commercial, cultural, educational and scientific spheres, there will be many things our two cities can cooperate on in the years to come.