前不久，我和五千多名波音员工一起聆听了中国国家主席胡锦涛在波音埃弗雷特工厂发表的演讲，我不禁想起中国和波音建立携手合作关系的点点滴滴。
我是在尼克松总统乘坐 "空军一号"波音707飞机访华两年之后的1974年加入波音公司的。中国民航总局很快订购了10架707，于1973和1974年交付，中国和波音从此结下了互惠互利的伙伴关系。
上世纪70年代初期，中美两国人民互相感到好奇，对于对方的生活、工作、休闲方式知之甚少。随着中国引进波音飞机，世界变小了，而中美人民的相互了解和认识不断加强。
1992年，我参加了波音向中国交付第100架飞机的仪式，那是一架交付给厦门航空公司的757飞机。所有参与了当年购买第一架707飞机相关工作的波音员工、航空公司和政府官员，都受邀参加了交付仪式。那是一次难忘的活动，不仅仅是老朋友的重聚，也让我们有机会共同展望了美好的未来。
大约一年前，波音与中国一航和中航二集团在北京签署了新的供应商合同，我有幸参加了这项签字仪式。这一天对我来说意义重大，它标志着波音与中国航空业的长期合作关系得到进一步发展。
今天，作为波音民用飞机集团负责飞机生产的副总裁，我亲身经历了中美之间的交流与合作。正如胡主席在访美之行时指出的，中国的航空公司目前一共运营着超过500架波音飞机，约占中国民用机队总数的2/3。除此之外，我们目前还有200多架飞机的订单和承诺。在波音的生产线上，几乎每天都有即将交付给中国航空公司的飞机。
我的职责还包括波音与全球供应商伙伴的关系。中国和波音的工业合作始于上世纪70年代中期。今天，全世界有超过3900架波音飞机上的主要零部件和组件是由中国制造的，约占波音全球机队的1/3。
多年来，波音的制造、质检、工装、工程和规划部门的专家与中国同仁密切合作，为了以优势价格生产出安全、可靠、优质的零部件而共同开发世界级标准。
中国的供应商们应对了这些挑战。今天，中国的企业不但为737、747、767和777项目制造零部件和组件，而且还在和波音共同研发最新机型--787梦想飞机。
如果说中国和波音在过去34年的携手合作预示着今后几十年将有一个光明的未来，那么我想，我们双方都可以为携手合作的明天感到振奋。我们将共同成长，共同繁荣，发挥出最大的潜力。
It's a small world after all
As I joined 5,000 other Boeing employees in listening to President Hu Jintao's remarks during his recent visit to the Boeing factory in Everett,Washington,I found myself thinking about the remarkable growth of the relationship between Boeing and China.
I came to work at Boeing in 1974 - just two years after President Richard Nixon landed in Beijing aboard Air Force One, a Boeing 707. The Civil Aviation Administration of China soon ordered 10 707s, which were delivered in 1973 and 1974, beginning what has been a mutually beneficial relationship for both China and Boeing.
In the early 1970s, the people of our two countries shared a curiosity about one another, but knew little about how the other lived, worked and played. With the introduction of jet airplanes to China, the world became a little bit smaller. At the same time, our knowledge and understanding of one another began to grow, and continues to do so.
In 1992 I attended the delivery of the 100th Boeing airplane to China - a 757 for Xiamen Airlines. The guests included all the Boeing employees and Chinese airline and government officials who had participated in the the original 707 purchase. It was a wonderful event; not only a reunion for that group, but also a chance for all of us to recognize and celebrate our futures together.
And it was less than a year ago that I had the honor of participating in a contract-signing ceremony in Beijing for new supplier agreements with AVIC I and AVIC II. That day was very special and meaningful for me in terms of our long-term relationship with the Chinese aviation industry.
Today, in my role as the leader of Airplane Production for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, I experience first-hand the connection between China and Boeing. As President Hu pointed out during his visit to Boeing, there are more than 500 Boeing airplanes in se one of our production lines.
My responsibilities also include overseeing the relationships with our global network of supplier-partners. Industrial cooperation between China and Boeing began in the mid-1970s. Today there are more than 3,900 Boeing airplanes - almost one-third of the Boeing world fleet - flying worldwide that include major parts and assemblies built by China.
Over the years, teams of Boeing manufacturing, quality, tooling, engineering and planning experts have worked with their Chinese counterparts on developing world-class standards to ensure safe, reliable, high-quality components at competitive prices.
Our Chinese suppliers have responded to the challenges, and today Chinese companies build parts and assemblies for the 737, 747, 767 and 777 programs. They are currently working side-by-side with Boeing on the development of our newest airplane, the 787 Dreamliner.
If the first 34 years of the China-Boeing relationship are any indication of what the next few decades may hold, I think we can both be excited about the future of our working-together relationship. There is great potential for our mutual growth and prosperity.
