By Xinhua Writer Liu Hong

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -With China rising into a world power, there are all kinds of concerns and suspicions about China, but to a CEO from a renowned U.S. company, China's economic growth not only represents challenges, but also opportunities. To him, China is experiencing an exciting time in history.

    CHINA REPRESENTS GREAT OPPORTUNITY

    "China has experienced amazing changes since the historic meetings between Chairman Mao and U.S. President Richard Nixon in the early 1970s," said Scott Davis, Chairman and CEO of UPS, U.S. package and shipping giant United Parcel Service.

    "Over the last four decades, the world has watched in awe as China has risen from a state of relative isolation to become a major player on the global stage," said Davis in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua.

    Davis said while this has caused concern for some, he is very optimistic about the future and the important role China will play in it.

    In December 2004, UPS became the first in the package and shipping industry to establish wholly-owned operations in China.

    Yet according to Davis, UPS already realized the important role that China would play in the company's global growth strategy back in 1990s. Davis was appointed as UPS's CEO in 2007.

    In 2006, UPS was selected as the official express delivery and logistics provider for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, which gave the company "a tremendous opportunity to showcase our services to the Chinese people," said Davis.

    However, the rapid development in the Chinese market also posed challenges to the UPS management, such as finding qualified employees, he noted.

    "Growing our workforce by 30 fold in 30 months was a significant challenge," said Davis. "We had to hire a lot of people and train them virtually overnight, but in the end we were successful."

    He said the lessons the UPS has learned in the countries have served them well in China so far.

    "For China in particular, it's important to have a long-term vision of your strategy and the ability to demonstrate your commitment to the market in order to build sustainable growth," said the UPS CEO.

    Back in 2000, Davis would never have predicted that UPS would experience this type of growth and expansion in China. This makes Davis full of confidence in China and his company's future in China.

    "Looking farther ahead, I think over the next 20 years or so, China's domestic economy will experience significant growth beyond anything we have seen to date," said Davis. "This represents another tremendous opportunity for UPS as China's need for domestic transportation and logistics services expands," Davis predicts.

    U.S., CHINA SHOULD HAVE WIN-WIN RELATIONSHIP

    As the chief of a U.S. corporate doing business in China, Davis closely watches the trade relations between the two countries through the years, especially the trade disputes which occurs every now and then. But he believes these trade disputes wouldn't get in the way of developing a healthy trade relationship between the two countries.

    "As our societies and cultures are so very different, and as we are at different stages of economic development, differences in opinion are to be expected," he explains.

    "But both China and the U.S. have a strong desire to succeed and do what is best for our people. We can and should have a win-win relationship," he stressed.

    In his view, the relationship between the two powers would grow in many positive and mutually beneficial ways so long as two countries "remain receptive and responsive to each other's viewpoints and positions."

    He emphasized he was "a firm believer in globalization," and against protectionism.

    "I think the lessons to be learned are that governments should not analyze trade policy exclusively from the perspective of individual interests, but rather that governments should consider the overall impact of the agreements beyond their respective borders and recognize that increased global trade benefits everyone," Davis said in the written interview.

    He said he hopes more people from the U.S. can visit China, and also more visitors to the U.S. from China, so that the two peoples can continue to learn more about each other firsthand.

    "This will help bridge any differences that separate us and strengthen the bonds of our friendship," he said.