From a historic lamp to fresh Kona coffee, the ties between Hawaiʻi and China were rekindled during a recent trade mission to the provinces of Guangdong and Hainan. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) played a key role in the one-week visit, which was led by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, along with several state lawmakers, to strengthen agricultural and economic bonds.
Kevin Olival, CTAHR associate dean for research, noted that “one of the overall missions of the trip was to support economic development, tourism and educational opportunities between the State of Hawaiʻi and these provinces in China.”
Local coffee farmer Ralph Gaston led Hawaiian coffee tasting events in each province, offering a hands-on way to showcase local products and the university’s research in the field.
Similar challenges, new ideas
Olival returned with several new ideas for collaborations with Chinese agricultural schools. He noted that Hawaiʻi and Hainan province face similar challenges.
“They deal with some of the same problems we do,” Olival said. “They even have developed bio-control for insect pests that are destroying coconut trees—analogous to Hawaiʻi’s problem with coconut rhinoceros beetles. So I think there are a number of potential research collaborations, in addition to opportunities to expand student and faculty exchanges.”
A shared history
The group also explored Chinese history, including a visit to the museum at Sun Yat Sen’s home. A lamp that he had brought back with him from Hawaiʻi was on display, which served as a poignant reminder of the deep ties between the two regions.
“Seeing an object that he had carried with him from Hawaiʻi back to China helped me understand the deep ties between our islands and China,” Olival said.
