CNN REPORT REBUTTAL: ChinaMart Hosts Match-Making Event to create Jobs in LA, Not Sabatoge....

As the CEO of China Mart Los Angeles...I provided CNN recently with my rebuttal to their iReport posted on China Mart Los Angeles and the Tibetan Protesters activity at China Mart on Feb 16th during our hosted event for VP Xi Jinping's business delegation. Here is CNN's iReport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-751104?ref=feeds/latest and...

Below is my rebuttal which is not meant to be political in anyway, just a comment on how groups with issues whether Tibetan or other should work on effecting change in more constructive ways.

As the CEO of ChinaMart Los Angeles (USA), I am always concerned about other countries rights for freedom; however, “Sabotaging” our event at China Mart Los Angeles and having your Tibetan-freedom advocate, Giovanni violently jump up and down hitting people and causing a commotion is not the right way to go about effecting change for Tibet. Human rights and freedom are very big topics politically and need to be addressed in the proper forum...in fact, there was much discussion and pressure on the US side during VP Xi’s visit to this effect. However, I find it immature and insulting to have any guest at the ChinaMart call our efforts in “Creating Jobs in the US” and “Increasing Exports from Los Angeles” which account for 1 out of 5 jobs in Los Angeles, “Garbage or Nonsense”. Gandhi and many other great pacifists throughout history made much more progress using passive protests…I do have footage of the event and Giovanni was very aggressive, borderline violent…and it wasn’t a stunned look on the “Chinese Delegates faces you saw”…it was fear. I am not sure many would agree with your tactics...as these tactics resemble terrorism more than reform. There are better ways to be heard than sabotaging legitimate gatherings that are honestly trying to help our Los Angeles community which is hurting from lack of jobs and ways to make keep their own families fed. I write clearly in my recent book on ‘Doing Business with China: The Secrets of Dancing with the Dragon’ that understanding a culture is fundamental to making any relationship succeed, so I would appeal to your more logical side to work harder at building those relationships you need to succeed, instead of the strategy of sabotage.
Sincerely, Stephen Perl, CEO China Mart USA