Center Hosts Meeting of Mine Safety Experts from China

The Byrd Center for Legislative Studies was honored to host 27 mine-safety officials from the People’s Republic of China State Administration of Coal Mine Safety on Friday, Oct. 17. The delegation was led by Deputy Director General Yang QingSheng.  The group came to Shepherd University to attend an all-day seminar conducted by Davitt McAteer, of Shepherdstown, a recognized world authority on coal mine safety and coal mine disasters.

We were able to impart some stories about Senator Byrd’s long-time advocacy of the mining industry and the safety and welfare of miners.  The Byrd Archive contains extensive files on mining issues in West Virginia as well as national energy issues. Senator Byrd made four trips to China during his tenure as a Senate leader, including participation in the first U.S. Congressional delegation in 1975, during the Ford Administration, following up on the earlier diplomacy of President Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to begin the process of normalizing diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.  When Senator Byrd reported back to President Ford on that first trip, he made a prediction: “I will put my money on the long run development of China rather than the Soviet Union.”
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By Ray Smock