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By Guy Page
Following the recent visit of a Chinese diplomat to Vermont, the Chinese Consulate General in New York has issued a formal response to public comments made by Vermont Daily Chronicle readers questioning the nature and transparency of the visit.
The response takes the form of a letter to the editor in today’s Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Consul General Chen Li met with Vermont Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers and Montpelier Mayor Jack McCullough on June 26 during what the Consulate called a trip to “strengthen the friendship and foster exchanges between China and Vermont.” The Consulate confirmed that Chen also visited local businesses, though it did not disclose which companies he toured.
The visit prompted a flurry of questions and concerns from readers of the Chronicle, many focused on transparency, national security, and the political implications of growing U.S.-China ties.
“China is buying influence, and John Rodgers, not to mention the Vermont legislature, is for sale,” wrote reader and frequent commenter H. Jay Eshelman of Windham County. Another commenter, William Olenick, asked, “Why was a list of companies visited not provided to the press nor to the public?”
Other readers questioned whether the FBI was informed in advance of the visit, whether sensitive facilities such as IBM were included in Chen’s itinerary, and even speculated on personal relationships.
In a letter submitted to the Chronicle and published Monday, the Press Office of the Chinese Consulate General responded to the feedback, emphasizing China’s commitment to “constructive dialogue and mutual understanding.”
“The primary role of the Chinese Consulate General in New York is to promote communication and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation,” the letter said, noting that Vermont is one of 10 states within its consular district.
Addressing environmental concerns, the Consulate pointed to China’s recent afforestation efforts, claiming more than 6.6 million hectares of land were greened in 2024. The letter also cited a New York Times report on China’s investments in clean energy and its stated goal to become a global leader in renewables.
On trade, the Consulate offered a defense of economic cooperation: “From 2001 to 2024, U.S. goods exports to China grew by 648.4%,” while the U.S. enjoys a $28.9 billion services trade surplus. Vermont-made goods such as maple syrup and ski equipment, the letter said, are increasingly popular in China.
While the Consulate acknowledged differences between the two nations, it stressed the importance of dialogue over confrontation. “Trade disputes and tariffs serve no one’s interests,” it stated.
The letter ended with a diplomatic invitation: “We warmly welcome you to visit China and see the country for yourself. Our Consulate stands ready to provide any support needed.”
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Categories: Opinion
Now this is very interesting. Nobody in our government was or would respond, but China does. That tells you who is the boss and who is the puppet.
VDC well done, those only place for free speech is the only place China attacks. This is too good.
Well done sirs, well done.
Jay you’re on the list now! lol
And what about the ‘afforestation’ efforts of Chinese land greened by the U.S.? How much Chinese farm land does the U.S. own? How many U.S. companies have access to China’s renewable energy markets? Where is Chinese ‘economic cooperation’?
Has China sent any counterfeit driver’s licenses to Vermont to affect voter registrations for the many illegal immigrants sanctuaried here?
“The U.S. maple industry needs to incorporate Chinese consumer preferences and market characteristics in its product development, trade negotiation, and market promotion to capture the opportunities in the Chinese market.” – Journal of Food Distribution Research, March 2024
Chinese consumer preferences? Who’s the consumer? A free market or the CCP?
This dissertation is a parody of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone episode – ‘How to Serve Man’.
Don’t get on. It’s a cookbook!
oh, you are definitely on the list now, lol….welcome aboard.
Doesn’t mention how the CCP is buying land in Northern Maine and turning homes, churches, anything they can get their hands on into illegal Marijuana grows using Chemicals that aren’t even allowed in the US! They are undermining legal growers as well as endangering the lives of American Citizens. They are doing it in several US states!
China going green is a joke! They dumped all the plastics in the Oceans. They pollute the air. Plus, as I have said before the Climate Crisis and Green Crap is the biggest scam in World History! Just a big Money Maker for Evil!
Tariffs aren’t good… Yes, they are! Time for China to pay their fair share to send their junk over here!
There is absolutely no reasonable for Vermont to get in bed with any Communist Country! Just shows where our leaders are trying to take us!
Not falling for any of this Globalist Bull Crap!
I’ve done business all over the world. I’ve received bribe offers of cash under the table for a variety of reasons, product certifications for a surreptitious fee, discovered blatant unethical manipulation in government housing contracts on which I was bidding and more. As a free market advocate, I say do business with whomever you choose. But negotiate your own terms. And don’t break the law!
The last person I want to negotiate any business deal on my behalf, especially with the CCP, is John Rodgers (for many reasons). As Milton Friedman opined (yes, Milton Friedman again):
“Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. But when the government — in pursuit of good intentions, tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the costs come in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Government should be a referee, not an active player.”
If anyone questions China’s motives in this regard, ask yourselves; why are they negotiating business deals with politicians like John Rodgers? Why aren’t they out in the private sector, as the Governor used to do, and as development organizations often do, talking directly with the people who own the businesses?
If Vermonters want to see more EB-5 shenanigans like the Jay peak fiasco involving Shumlin, Leahy, and others; if they want special interest groups like VPIRG officers lobbying for solar subsidies while they have a private solar company start-up based on those subsidies; if they want a PUC commissioner regulating companies that contribute to their spouse’s political campaign; or legislation that favors certain cannabis farmers (who might that be?); go for it.
But count me out.
Jay, after your comment about how government should not rearrange the economy, how do you feel about trumps tariffs? Do they fit into the idea that government should keep their hands off?
Trump tariffs are ‘reciprocal’. That means they are a response to the tariffs placed on American products. If a country, like Canada for example, agrees to remove its tariffs on US products, the new U.S. tariffs on their products will be removed. As you might imagine, I’ve had personal experience with Canadian tariffs on U.S. goods and service.
Tariffs are tariffs. Call them reciprocal or whatever. Even here you argue, “they do it so we can do it.” Is that all you have?
Also, I haven’t imagined your experiences with Canadian tariffs. Have you thought about my experience with Trumps tariffs? Our family expenses have increased.
You have earned my respect, Jay. Thank you. China talking about mutual cooperation is pathetic. Mutual cooperation only applies when it financially benefits China. Ask Maine with its illegal Chinese immigrant pot growing operation or Vermonters forced to purchase solar panels from China in the name of global warming.
Re: “Tariffs are tariffs. Call them reciprocal or whatever. Even here you argue, “they do it so we can do it.” Is that all you have?”
Okay, Nick. Please think for a few minutes.
Consider that you can turn and sell a bowl for $200, labor and materials. And a Canadian woodturner makes a lesser quality bowl for $100. Is it okay with you that the Canadian government increases the cost of your bowl from $200 to $300 when you sell your higher quality bowl to a Canadian customer, by forcing your Canadian customer to pay an additional $100 (a 50% tariff) to the Canadian government – not to you… thereby making your U.S. made bowl so much more expensive than the Canadian bowl that your Canadian customer can’t afford to purchase your higher quality U.S. made bowl and, instead, buys the Canadian made bowl?
And, at the same time, because the U.S. doesn’t apply the same tariff to the Canadian made bowl, your U.S. customers can buy the lesser quality Canadian made bowl for $100 less than you can charge your U.S. customers for your bowl.
Is your bowl so much higher in quality that Canadian customers still buy it? Because, if it is, the Canadian government will increase the tariff on your bowl until Canadian customers don’t buy it.
And if you think the Canadian government would never add a 50% tariff to U.S. made goods and services, think again. The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) tariffs on U.S. dairy products, can reach as high as 298.5% if certain Canadian import quotas are reached. And these unfair trade tariffs were even worse under NAFTA, when I did business in Canada, until Trump renegotiated and brokered the CUSMA agreement in his first term.
And Trump is renegotiating again… to get rid of all tariffs.
Are your family expenses increasing. Yes. Because you’ve been buying cheap goods and services from Canada and China and, in fact, from virtually every developed nation in the world that has been taking advantage of unfair trade practices for decades. Your expenses may increase over the short term. But at the same time, more people will buy your U.S. bowls because the tariff playing field has been leveled.
Call it ‘reciprocal’, call it ‘quid pro quo’, call it whatever you like. I call it ‘free enterprise’.
If Chin is so peaceful and not domineering? Why are there uprisings in Hong Kong. Why is Taiwan under constant threats of being attacked and the US is to protect–meaning a war with China. Why is China so deep in Africa going after rare minerals. Why is China so involved buying US land around sensitive military bases and establishments? Why did China send balloons to spy on the US one finally shot down after it traversed the US and steered above military places? Why are hordes of Chinese coming across out borders the south and north (VT NY). Why did the virus Covid originate from them? Now there’s more strains.
I guess listen and reading the Chinese comments everything is OK and friendly. Waiting for them to counterfeit our currency wouldn’t that be a downer? They counterfeit everything else and have the means and talent.
Talk is very cheap and to the gullible it’s OK. Will Rodgers benefit as have politicians, Biden, Hunter, Piglosi Fienstein, etc? This stinks like a dead skunk laying on black top areas in the 100 deg hot sun for weeks.
Yup you can trust those slant eyes. PS. Biden also had slant eyes, was around them a lot. The China guy was taking inventory to see who to trust or not in his visitations. Very polished, that’s why he has that position. Read between the lines.
Re: “Yup you can trust those slant eyes.”
I can’t let this comment pass. It’s a blatantly primitive racial slur and has no bearing in this discussion, except to weaken the position of those wary of the Chinese relationship with Vermont politicians.
Frankly, I’m surprised it got by the VDC staff.
Mr H. Jay Eshelman you seem to be the scrutinizer of commenters and over various articles is so noted and attacked me at another time. You haven’t walked in my shoes and I wouldn’t “correct” you. But somehow you seem to enjoy being the VDC watchdog. Imagine you’re retired, have a lot of free time and should get the official scrutinizer position on VDC staff. Seems some statements are surprising to you that VDC didn’t block. Perhaps people have different opinions. Let sleeping dogs lay. I have seen many comments that are questionable, I don’t question. Chinese have slanted eyes and that’s a fact.
Did anybody from the Chinese Consulate Visit Texas, or Florida to promote “cooperation”?
The Chinese consulate in Houston got shut down a few years ago after all their shady activities were brought to light.
I asked the same question. Although, I picked Florida and Tennessee. I checked and according to the Internet, there are no records of the Chinese representative visiting these states. I am not surprised at all
Dear Mr Consular General,
Thou protests too much!
I bet a bag a Dunkin Donuts the President sees this article before the day is out.
Wanna bet Mr Consular General Li ?
Did you tour our Northern Border outposts by chance or our Happy Ending Chinese run massage parlors within our states confines?
Make a good front and cash business attractive for laundering money.
Will China enter the illegal weed growing business, as an expansion of the Chinese operations in Maine, that is heavily dependent on strong and toxic chemicals, that would be so good for our states youth and elderly citizens health, when consumed from the black market they deal in ?
Is this visit to Vermont part of the PRC’s efforts to pave a Yankee New Silk Road, and if so, please enlighten us as to your plans ?
P.S.
Are you any relation to Lindy Li, of DNC fundraising fame, by chance?
Glad we got your attention.
I assure you, we will be paying close attention to you, and your activities, within our fine state, from here on in ,in all due respect .
Yours truly,
An attentive citizen
Well, we see your protestations of innocent intent…but you must know that you don’t have the credibility to be convincing.
Why would China come here? When other states are taking action to shut down their operations in their states; buying farms where they simply can stop production, buying land near military bases, police stations in the US and of course their drug business.
They feel they have comrades in VT. Look at our congressional delegation, Burlington’s city Gov, and most of our legislature.
Your answer lays with todays press conference at the USDA in DC Gene, big moves involving many agencies, view the conference ,very enlightening.
Wow – VDC getting attention from foreign dignitaries. Not only national attention, but the attention of five eyes and secret societies! I hope the consulate bought a subscription. Let us know how we can get a copy of our minority report or is it classified along with all other deeds done dirty? Have a great day comrads!
This should never need further expansion. China does not allow economic cooperation, 100% foreign ownership, majority foreign oversight of its own businesses. Until there is total transparency from China. They can go pound sand.
There is only one reason China does anything: to benefit China. They may talk partnership, mutual interest, and feel-good platitudes. But China will do and say whatever they have to, get their foot in the door. And after that, they proceed to chip away slowly and steadily until they get whatever it is they were after from the start.
I have never seen anything as obvious, or played for so long. Can they be beat at their game? Sure. But you have to know their strategy going in. And, not be bought off.
That eliminates Democrats from any decision-making.
Tucker Carlson interviewed Steve Robinson on Chinese gangs operating hundreds of illegal marijuana farms in ME. Hundreds of houses, properties contaminated by fungicides, pesticides, toxic chemicals used during production. We do not want Chinese criminal organizations with deadly contaminants in VT – laws need to be passed to assiduously vet or prohibit the sale of real estate to the Chinese.
“Chinese crime gangs are flooding rural America with drugs. Steve Robinson of the Maine Wire is one of the only journalists who’s noticed. A shocking story.”