This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Fan Kwan escaped from China with her family years ago, but she says she still thinks about her people who continue to suffer under the communist government.
She hopes someday everyone in China will be able to pray without fear and become parents at their discretion.
"People in China don't have much choice," says Kwan, who moved to the United States 17 years ago.
As Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. prepares for his trip to China next week, Kwan and other Utah Chinese say they understand it will be difficult for the governor to discuss human rights with Chinese leaders, but they hope he doesn't ignore the subject most important to them.
They also say they are excited that Huntsman is visiting their homeland because it will give the Chinese a better understanding of Utah and the role of the Mormon Church here as well as strengthen their relationship for business and cultural exchanges.
The governor, nine state officials and representatives from 20 businesses are scheduled to visit China from Monday to Oct. 21. The business trade mission will focus on economic development, education and tourism. This is Huntsman's second international trip during his term. He visited Mexico in July 2005.
In China, Kwan says Huntsman will be seen as a Mormon leader in Mormon mecca, so he should talk about the importance of respecting people's views and different religions. Chinese are restricted in the number of children they can have and need government approval to gather in big groups for spiritual meetings in the privacy of their own homes, she says.
"If he talks a little about the freedom of worship, I think he will have some influence on the leaders of China," says Kwan, a social worker who lives in West Valley City. "People should have the freedom to worship their own religion."
Taowen Le, a Weber State University professor, says Chinese, including those who come here to study and return, learn and understand more about the United States than the other way around. There also are some misunderstandings about Utah - the biggest being polygamy - because of its Mormon connection, he says. Still, Huntsman's visit to China is important because both sides can discuss differences and similarities in business practices, culture, policy, education and law.
"The more we know about each other, the more likely we'll be able to help each other . . . and be at peace with each other," says Le, a Mormon who moved from China to Utah in 22 years ago for graduate work at Brigham Young University.
Hao Zhu, an environmental engineer who's been in the United States for 17 years, says he's optimistic about the trade mission and gives Huntsman kudos for picking China.
Zhu visits his family in China every other year and insists that the country is drastically changing, from more jobs in high-technology companies to modern buildings to fast-food joints. Some people work 80-hour weeks, but they have a great attitude and believe in "a promising future," Zhu says.
Not only will Huntsman's trip benefit Utah-China ties, Zhu says, but it also will give the governor more clout in the Chinese community here.
"We pay attention to him because he speaks excellent Chinese," he said.
* Asians make up 2.4 percent of the state's population.
* 1980, number of Chinese:: 2,913
* 2000, number of Chinese (race alone or in combination): 10,691
* Percentage increase from 1980 to 2000: 267%
* Top three Asian populations: Chinese (22%); Japanese (21%); Vietnamese (14%)
Chinese in Utah