We live in Beijing but today my two adopted daughters, Wendi and Weilin (in the picture with me) and I are in Shanghai to participate in this week's Special Olympics. China is honored to host both this uplifting event and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as I would be so honored to be a torchbearer next year. The Olympics means many things to many people - the power of the individual and team, equality, excellence and, of course, pageantry.
I've lived and worked in Beijing for 10 years (now as President of United Technologies Corp's corporate office). The year after I arrived I had the joy of adopting Wendi and 4 years later, Whalen (Weilin). China is now part of me and vice versa. As torchbearer, I would be continuing my life's work as a bridge between China and the world.
I've been a bridge between America and China in the commercial world. As Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce-China in 2004 and as Vice Chairman in 2006 and 2007, we've led many battles to ensure the US government understands the reality of China while also helping to open the Chinese market to new products, ideas and competition. As a single adopted parent, I've been honored to serve as a director for the Half-the-Sky (HTS) Foundation which has enriched the lives of thousands of children in Chinese orphanages through nurturing, pre-school and Big Sisters programs (if you don't vote for me, vote for the HTS Executive Director, Jenny Bowen!). My daughters are another bridge with China - they attend Chinese schools and I'm committed to their growing up bi-cultural and comfortable in both our countries.
As this is the first 'Green' Olympics, we at United Technologies are doing our part to make a difference: in July, we opened the first government certified 'green factory in Tianjin (Otis), in 2006, we established a multi-year effort with the Min. of Construction promoting energy efficiency and green buildings, we are supplying air conditioning systems to 17 Olympic sites with non-ozone refrigerants (including the Birds Nest and the Watercube) and just 2 weeks ago we signed an agreement at Tsinghua University establishing a research institute for energy efficient, safe and intelligent buildings.
The Olympics is about sports and as one of 9 boys and a girls in our family, I grew up playing sports throughout my school years. I still play full court basketball each weekend and softball, tennis and time in the weight-room every now and then.
As an honored torchbearer, just as the Olympics movement does, I'd be serving as bridge between the people and countries of the world.
