Huntsman plans higher-education trip to China

SHANGHAI — Even before he returns to Utah from his weeklong trade mission to China, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is already planning on coming back.

Next year, the governor told the Deseret Morning News, he would like to return to Beijing and Shanghai, this time with a group of higher education officials.

Although there are already ties between Utah campuses and Chinese universities, Huntsman said he wants Chinese officials to see Utah "as really a premier destination" for higher education.

"Right now, it's a little bit piecemeal," he said. "Everyone's busy and everyone's doing some pretty remarkable things at the higher level. But it's the overall packaging I'd like to improve."

Huntsman on Friday delivered an address to students at Shanghai Normal University on U.S.-China relations. The former teachers college actually has a Utah Institute on campus affiliated with the University of Utah, Westminster College and Salt Lake Community College.

In fact, a group of master's of business administration students from Westminster were on hand for the governor's speech because they were traveling through China as part of a course on business cultures.

Only Utah Valley State College and Stevens Henager College participated in this trade mission to China. Val Hale, a UVSC vice president, said his goal is to boost the number of Chinese students on campus. Foreign students pay higher tuition, he said, and could help the school win a university designation.

China isn't the only destination Huntsman has in mind before his first term ends in 2008. He has already traveled to Mexico City and met with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who came to Utah earlier this year.

Toward the end of the year, the governor said he expects to return to Mexico briefly at the invitation of President-elect Felipe Calderon. Plans are also in the works for a trip to Alberta, Canada, by mid-2007 and later to India.

Huntsman said he is fulfilling a commitment to develop opportunities for Utah in what he considers the four key markets for the state — Mexico, Canada, China and India.

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