2009年7月17号，对中美关系来说是又一个大日子。为了世博会美国馆的建造已经折腾了好几年，一直到7月10号，希拉里亲自指派的上海世博会美国展区总代表Jose Vallareal和世博才签订了参展合同，也就是说，2010的上海世博会终于有美国馆了！

为什么美国馆的事情会这么让人头疼？早在1991年，美国国会就通过一项法律，任何美国国家馆的建设及经营费用都不允许动用美国政府资金，所以要在世博会造美国馆，就必须从民间筹集所有的钱。这样一来，造馆的事情就前前后后拖了很长时间。直到希拉里亲自指派了Jose Vallareal先生组成一个team，短短两周内就筹到了300万美元！

动工仪式当天，在长长的美国国家馆官方合作伙伴及赞助商的名单上，百事可乐，GE电气，沃尔玛，戴尔中国，微软，波音公司，3M中国……很多很多，当然也有百人会，是美国华人的一个组织，百人会已经承诺要为美国馆募集200万美元，作为其中的一员，我非常高兴能继续为中美事业做出贡献！

世博一直为美国馆保留着6000平方米的位置，今天，终于实现了大梦想！

白天的仪式活动后晚上我也请到所有的重要人士来我家共襄盛举！

那现在你们就告诉我，在2010上海世博会美国馆，你们最想看到的是什么，你们对什么最感兴趣？

别告诉我说，只是NBA的科比·布莱恩！

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NOW TELL ME PLEASE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE US PAVILION?  WHAT WOULD INTEREST YOU?  DONT TELL ME ONLY COBY BRIAN OF THE NBA!

Friday July 17 was a very important day for China /United States relations.  After struggling for a couple of years with not much progress for setting up the USPAVILION in the World Expo, Mrs. Hillary Clinton who is now the Secretary of State of the United States finally got into the act.  She first appointed a Commissioner General called Jose Vallareal who ran her campaign for Presidency and is very close to the Clintons.  In 2 weeks, his new team raised 30 million US dollars.  Big American companies came into the act.  Pepsi-cola, Intel, Walmart etc.  We will need 60 million dollars to make the event.  So more fund raising has to continue. You may wonder why USA has such a problem raising the money?  well, under the constitution of the USA, the government is NOT allowed to give any money to such pavilion. the money has to come from the private sector.  Thus citizens and also US corporations.  This year, US corporations are not doing so well.  So money is harder to come by.  But I think money should not be a problem any more now that Hillary Clinton is involved.
The ground breaking ceremony was attended by both the US and Chinese officials.  Including the US secretary of Commerce, the Chinese American Gary Locke who is on a visit to Shanghai.  The most blistering heat does not hurt the excitement in the air.
In the evening, I gave a dinner in my home for everyone that has been involved with the Pavilion.  I even invited Mr. Xu Bo, the Assistant Director of the World Expo, a very distinguished diplomat and a good friend.
Everyone pledged to make this the best Pavilion he and she can help to make.  Let us see.
 
NOW TELL ME PLEASE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE US PAVILION?  WHAT WOULD INTEREST YOU?  DONT TELL ME ONLY COBY BRIAN OF THE NBA!