Perhaps there have been other U.S. senators who spoke Chinese – even in the past, when a surprising number of people in public life were the children of western missionaries in China – but it’s good to see that our newest senator, replacing Hillary Clinton in New York State, is one, and a Chinese studies graduate from Dartmouth as well as an accomplished lawyer. Kirsten Gillibrand became a familar name in our household during last year’s campaign because her New York district borders our part of Massachusetts (the television ads on both sides of that race got old fast). I’ve only just learned about that she has knowledge of China to bring to her new job. This couldn’t be better timed, given the discussion of China’s role in the global economy right now.
Our first Chinese-speaking senator?
About the Author: Karen Christensen
Karen Christensen is an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and scholar who writes about the many ways women have gained and wielded power. She is the owner and CEO of Berkshire Publishing Group, a former trustee of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Press, a member of the National Committee on US-China Relations, and the founder of the Train Campaign. Subscribe to Karen’s Letter @Substack https://karenchristensen.substack.com or try her Home Ecology newsletter. She can also be found on Twitter @karenchristenze.
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It is really very good, that our senator is Chinese-speaking, because China is very big and beautiful country, and I want to learn more about this country.
lucky you are. our president does not know any foreign language.