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China wanderer settles on a base in Jiading
By Lu Xiaofeng and Xu Wei |
May 31, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
CHARLES Paglee, president of Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd, made his first visit to China in 1987 and can speak fluent Chinese. "China to me is as familiar as my hometown," he said.
After so many years touring around China, he finally decided to set up the headquarters of his company at Shanghai National Automobiles and Auto Parts Export Base in Jiading District.
"I also plan to buy a house at Jiading to enjoy my life here," Paglee said.
Paglee grew up in Washington, D.C., and his father used to take frequent business trips to Taiwan, bringing home many local items and photos, arousing the young man's curiosity for China.
In 1987, Paglee, then 22, took a flight to Taiwan via Hong Kong. The purpose of this trip was not only sightseeing but also to learn Chinese. After a sojourn in Taiwan, he returned to Hong Kong planning to return to the United States.
But the flight was canceled and Paglee was told that he could change it to any time of his choice.
So he took the opportunity to go by boat to Guangzhou. Though he only stayed three days, he was impressed by the warm welcome he received.
"I still remember a Guangzhou native saying hello in English to me on the street," Paglee added. "A warm feeling rose from my heart at that moment and I thought that I should stay longer in this fabulous country."
Paglee later returned to Taiwan and, with only four Taiwan dollars to his name, he couldn't even afford a bowl of instant noodle.
Fortunately the boss of the hotel in which he lived agreed to let him stay for free and lent him 2,000 Taiwan dollars.
Paglee soon found a job as a translator at an IT company. A year later he founded his own company which he eventually sold to a big local Taiwan enterprise and helped it open an American branch office in Silicon Valley.
During his stay in Taiwan, Paglee's Chinese greatly improved. And also, through his father, he got to know Liu Zhenzhong, who later became his Chinese father. That's why Paglee has the Chinese name Liu Zhenhua.
At the end of July 1993, Paglee visited Shanghai and started a new page of his life on the Chinese mainland.
"At the time, Shanghai was 'short'," Paglee recalled. "Nowadays, we can see high-rises anywhere in the city."
Later Paglee worked in Beijing as China chief representative of an American communications company. He also studied law at China University of Political Science and Law.
He has gained a lot of experience from many years' business practice and also played an important management role in his family's enterprise - the Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd - which was founded in 1946 by his grandfather.
It is by far Ford's largest auto parts supplier in Atlanta, Georgia. After decades of development, Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd has become a major auto parts supplier in southeast America.
In November 2007, Paglee set up the company's branch office in Beijing.
In the second half of 2008, Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd sold all of its business in the United States to totally relocate in China.
By chance, Paglee arrived in Jiading District to meet a partner.
The preferential policy implemented by the Jiading government as well as the big number of auto suppliers in the neighborhood opened his eyes to unprecedented development opportunities.
In the first half of 2009, Paglee made a bold decision to move the company's headquarters to Shanghai National Automobiles and Auto Parts Export Base.
"Jiading is already known as an automobile town and is fast becoming the Detroit of China which it will definitely surpass in the near future," Paglee said.
"The service here is fairly good and there are so many business opportunities in Jiading due to its good management and frequent exchange events."
Paglee has already visited the World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
"The pageant not only displays the world's latest scientific and technological achievement and concepts, but also offers the city a good chance to improve its environment and culture," he added.
After so many years touring around China, he finally decided to set up the headquarters of his company at Shanghai National Automobiles and Auto Parts Export Base in Jiading District.
"I also plan to buy a house at Jiading to enjoy my life here," Paglee said.
Paglee grew up in Washington, D.C., and his father used to take frequent business trips to Taiwan, bringing home many local items and photos, arousing the young man's curiosity for China.
In 1987, Paglee, then 22, took a flight to Taiwan via Hong Kong. The purpose of this trip was not only sightseeing but also to learn Chinese. After a sojourn in Taiwan, he returned to Hong Kong planning to return to the United States.
But the flight was canceled and Paglee was told that he could change it to any time of his choice.
So he took the opportunity to go by boat to Guangzhou. Though he only stayed three days, he was impressed by the warm welcome he received.
"I still remember a Guangzhou native saying hello in English to me on the street," Paglee added. "A warm feeling rose from my heart at that moment and I thought that I should stay longer in this fabulous country."
Paglee later returned to Taiwan and, with only four Taiwan dollars to his name, he couldn't even afford a bowl of instant noodle.
Fortunately the boss of the hotel in which he lived agreed to let him stay for free and lent him 2,000 Taiwan dollars.
Paglee soon found a job as a translator at an IT company. A year later he founded his own company which he eventually sold to a big local Taiwan enterprise and helped it open an American branch office in Silicon Valley.
During his stay in Taiwan, Paglee's Chinese greatly improved. And also, through his father, he got to know Liu Zhenzhong, who later became his Chinese father. That's why Paglee has the Chinese name Liu Zhenhua.
At the end of July 1993, Paglee visited Shanghai and started a new page of his life on the Chinese mainland.
"At the time, Shanghai was 'short'," Paglee recalled. "Nowadays, we can see high-rises anywhere in the city."
Later Paglee worked in Beijing as China chief representative of an American communications company. He also studied law at China University of Political Science and Law.
He has gained a lot of experience from many years' business practice and also played an important management role in his family's enterprise - the Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd - which was founded in 1946 by his grandfather.
It is by far Ford's largest auto parts supplier in Atlanta, Georgia. After decades of development, Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd has become a major auto parts supplier in southeast America.
In November 2007, Paglee set up the company's branch office in Beijing.
In the second half of 2008, Brannan Auto Engineering Co Ltd sold all of its business in the United States to totally relocate in China.
By chance, Paglee arrived in Jiading District to meet a partner.
The preferential policy implemented by the Jiading government as well as the big number of auto suppliers in the neighborhood opened his eyes to unprecedented development opportunities.
In the first half of 2009, Paglee made a bold decision to move the company's headquarters to Shanghai National Automobiles and Auto Parts Export Base.
"Jiading is already known as an automobile town and is fast becoming the Detroit of China which it will definitely surpass in the near future," Paglee said.
"The service here is fairly good and there are so many business opportunities in Jiading due to its good management and frequent exchange events."
Paglee has already visited the World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
"The pageant not only displays the world's latest scientific and technological achievement and concepts, but also offers the city a good chance to improve its environment and culture," he added.
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