Every passing day brings new evidence that the People’s Republic of China has become a critically important player on the global economic and political stage. We’ve gradually come to accept that a remarkable number of consumer products on the U.S. market today are “Made in China.”

More recently, we have been startled to read of China’s rapidly escalating energy requirements and that the country is competing for natural resources in Africa and elsewhere. We also understand that China faces extraordinary environmental challenges which will have global implications. Another eye-opener was last week’s report of Microsoft’s establishment of a research and development operation in Beijing. And it is food for thought that China holds an important number of U.S. Treasury notes.

Maine, like the United States as a whole, must confront the reality that China is here to stay and that it is extremely important to determine how best to interact with China in international commerce, cultural exchange and matters of international security. It will involve breaking some molds.

To be effective in China one needs a special degree of understanding of the culture, a great deal of patience, and solid personal connections. Commercial and cultural connections between Maine and China are more numerous than generally recognized. Several companies already have productive relationships with Chinese counterparts. A significant number of graduates of Maine colleges and universities are living and working in China.

Several consulting firms in the state have specialized expertise that could be of great value to Maine organizations initiating and expanding relationships in China. And, interestingly, Maestro Xiao-Lu Li, conductor of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, also is chief conductor of the China National Symphony in Beijing. For the state as a whole to succeed in developing productive relationships with China it will be useful indeed to build on existing relationships of all sorts between Maine and China.

Maine is awakening to China’s importance. On October 28 in Castine, Maine Maritime Academy’s Loeb-Sullivan School will sponsor the first-ever Maine-China Networking Conference, bringing into one room individuals and organizations with significant China experience and some who recognize the need to investigate opportunities to create or deepen relationships with Chinese counterparts. The Castine conference, sponsored by the Department of Economic Development and the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership, will feature participation by Robert Kapp, president of the U.S.-China Business Council in Washington, D.C.

Later in the year, the Maine International Trade Center (MITC) plans to host seminars on doing business with China in anticipation of a trade mission MITC plans to lead to China in early 2005. Meanwhile, the Camden Conference has selected China as the topic for its annual symposium in February 2006.

For the good of all concerned, we need to be positive, creative and energetic in developing mutually beneficial relationships with China and her people who, after all, represent one quarter of the world’s population. That China is a huge market is too obvious. Less apparent is that China holds promise for thoughtfully developed joint ventures and, conceivably, as a source of foreign direct investment in Maine. Expanded partnership with China seems particularly appropriate as Maine pursues development of a knowledge-based economy.

We learned this week that the new Chinese leader, Hu Jintao, had strengthened his power position by assuming political control of the Chinese military from his predecessor, Jiang Zemin. There is reason to believe that Hu may be inclined toward political and economic reform. All the more reason for Maine now to be examining more closely opportunities for deepening our connection with this critically important country.

Robert M. Sargent is a retired U.S. diplomat who resides in Sargentville. Born in China, he is curator of “China: Exploring the Interior, 1903-04,” a travelling exhibit of photographs. Readers can obtain more information on the Oct. 28 conference in Castine from Dr. Shashi Kumar whose e-mail address is skumar@mma.edu