American entrepreneur: Sorry, Mr. President, we are not going!
US leaders last week issued a special call for US companies to leave China or return to the United States to open factories. Brian Linden, the American entrepreneur and entrepreneur of Xilinyuan, hereby sent a letter to the "Worldview" to the American leader. The translation is as follows:
In 2004, my wife and I took two sons (then seven and nine years old at the time) to give up our career in the United States, sell the house, come to China, and pursue a dream full of idealism and respect. Our goal at the time was to create a sustainable social enterprise that reflected corporate values and respect for Chinese culture through tangible and intangible contributions.
Our family took this mission to Zhong country in the last fifteen years of continuous improvement. Originally a small hotel, it has now made many people appreciate the beauty and wisdom of Chinese cultural heritage.
The buildings we protect reflect the tangible ideals of this model. Repairing this type of building requires more money, time and care than the new building. We believe that this kind of protection reflects our solemn commitment to promote Chinese cultural heritage and marks the first step in our creation of a social enterprise.
From a business perspective, we understand that the comfort of heritage buildings is often incomparable with the hotels that the more affluent travelers expect. Repairing hardware is glory and important, but not enough to meet the business needs of the hotel. Without a unique "software", we cannot compete and survive as a hotel.
We began to look for “software” from the local culture and traditions of the region, and most importantly from the local people. We believe that the world is eager to cater to the fast-growing tourism industry and has chosen an easy path: investing in “hardware” because “software” takes time and effort to develop. The unique architecture and unrelated features, such as the large bathtub, large TV and French wine cellar, have become the regular expectations of many travelers. Travelers become accustomed to paying attention to hardware and ignoring software. In this model, the cultural and social resources of the destination are not as important as the actual comfort of the hotel, and this comfort is generally designed and managed by non-local staff, with little benefit to the local community.
Our social enterprise aims to reverse this trend. We ourselves as aliens have always been motivated by the local people and our interaction. We believe that people are destroying the essence of travel in the name of superficial comfort. We believe that local economic turmoil is not good for locals, and we want to inspire neighbors and travelers to experience a more sustainable model.
At the risk, we work hard and we must be close to each other. We sold the American house, gave up the cause, invested every penny in these projects, and educated two sons at home until they went to college. China has become our home, and Chinese people welcome us like their families. We never thought about leaving this special place.
In August 1984, I first came to China until 1988. China has given me and my family a platform to pursue dreams. We were only dedicated to China with enthusiasm and respect; in return, China did not let us down. We firmly believe that the United States must continue to communicate with China with respect. There is a Chinese saying, "When the wind changes, some people build walls and artificial windmills." The times have changed, but there are many opportunities. We don't want to build walls.
Mr. President, we refuse to leave this great country and its people. As Americans, we are very proud, but China is our home now and in the future, and we are equally honored.