Chinese president may come to Penn next week

Penn officials want controversial Chinese leader Jiang Zemin to visit the campus on his upcoming visit to Philadelphia. "A cordial welcome to Jiang Zemin, coming to Drexel University!" reads a beaming red Chinese banner on the World Wide Web site of Drexel University, which has been planning a visit by the president of the People's Republic of China for months. But Drexel, where Jiang's son received his doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, is not the only Philadelphia university with a connection to the president -- and it may not be the only one he visits while in the city. Penn is also trying to arrange a visit from the Chinese president, University spokesperson Ken Wildes said. "We have been in discussions with the State Department and others, and expect to have some announcement shortly," Wildes said. Jiang's visit to Philadelphia is a special stop on his China-U.S. summit itinerary -- which begins this Sunday in Honolulu -- because he is visiting two close, long-lost friends. One is a former classmate of the 71-year old Jiang -- Drexel Electrical Engineering Professor Hun Sen. The other is one of his former teachers -- Penn Electrical Engineering Professor Emeritus Gu Yuxiu, 95, who taught Jiang at China's Jiaotong University in the 1930s. Gu later emigrated to the United States and began teaching at Penn in 1952, three years after the Communist revolution, while Jiang became an engineer who eventually realized political aspirations. Gu taught at the University for over 20 years and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1972. But while Jiang, who does not have a doctorate degree, would surely appreciate receiving one from Penn, Wildes said it is no longer University practice to bestow them outside of Commencement. This is a double disappointment for the leader, because while many news sources, including the September 27 Philadelphia Inquirer, claimed Drexel "wanted" to give Jiang an honorary doctorate -- putting him on educational par with Taiwanese President Lee Tung-hui -- Drexel spokesperson Phil Taranova stressed yesterday that the school was not following through with the plan. Temple University is still considering honoring Jiang with a degree, although Temple officials were unavailable for comment yesterday. Academia aside, Jiang plans to tour Philadelphia for its business prospects and its historic sights. Local institutions -- from the Barnes Foundation to the Delaware River Port Authority -- hope to gain license into China's booming market. Jiang -- who granted an interview to The Washington Post last weekend -- is practicing his English. And as excitement mounts on both sides and residents momentarily forget China's human rights woes, surprisingly little protest has resulted. No Drexel students have demonstrated about the upcoming visit, according to sources at Drexel's student newspaper, The Drexel Triangle. Jiang accepted an invitation to visit the school last month, after Drexel President Constantine Papadakis led a Philadelphia delegation to Shanghai. Jiang has maintained that after the summit, China will release either Wei Jingsheng or Wang Dan -- both high-profile political prisoners in the totalitarian country -- as a sign of compromise and growing freedom. But perhaps the biggest symbol of increased liberty for China will occur during Jiang's trip to Philadelphia, when he visits the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, because according to yesterday's South China Morning Post: "Mr. Jiang is also eager to have his picture taken in Philadelphia, so that the photo can be seen in China."

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