Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I am more used to pontificating through my fingers than through my mouth, but I am glad to have this opportunity to talk to you. Howard Spiers asked me to talk on the subject of the changes I have seen since I first came in to China in 1978, and the changes since then have indeed been staggering.

Ladies and gentlemen, It is a great honor for me to be able to address you today. Elsie gave you a list of some of the things I’ve done in my life, and just listening to it myself, I felt exhausted. But it is my fervent hope that I have not yet done even a third of what I will do before the game ends.