James Lo, Chairman of Pacificland International Development
In 1966, at the age of 25, James Lo had already finished graduate courses at the University of California, Berkeley; was a recipient of a UN overseas scholarship; and had completed graduate work at National Taiwan University's agricultural economics department. A fewer years later, he completed his graduate work in the department of sociology at Ohio University.
In 1968, Lo came up with the Taiwan birth control policy, adhering to the principle that “two children is just right.” In 1982, he built the first five-star home for the elderly, with 300 rooms and an amusement park on 6.6 acres of land. In 1989, he sold the retirement home and property to Japan's Mitsui Group when he decided to move to the United States.
In the US, Lo’s Suilo Investment Co started to make large investments in California's Imperial County and the city of Palm Springs in 1992. He registered the company in the state of California on Jan 20, 1993. The company was involved in projects that included land use, building consultation, tennis courts and hotels.
In 1994, Mr Lo was invited by US President Clinton to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve at the White House. The US labor secretary and the citizenship and immigration services director also attended the dinner, during which time they talked about how to increase employment in Imperial County. In 1995, Suilo Investment Co found Formosan Farm Co.
In 1995, Suilo Investment Co received a license to produce giant timber bamboo. Suilo also carried out research on biochemical gasoline in cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture and Purdue University.
Suilo Investment Co gradually used giant timber bamboo in environmental protection. It is planning to work with the US government to plant bamboo by the Salton Sea to help moderate climate and improve the environment. Giant timber bamboo can also be used to produce biochemical gasoline in the future.
After a decade of planning and application, Suilo Investment Co finally obtained a license to construct an 82.4-acre store in 2007. In 2008, Suilo Investment Co founded Pacificland International Development Inc (PID) in order to solve short-stay problems for businessmen. In 2009, PID received $2.5 million from the Obama administration. The federal government and the Imperial County government hosted the project opening ceremony of the Imperial Regional Center in 2010.
James Lo has devoted himself to building a platform for China-US trade cooperation. The Imperial Regional Center is one of his dreams realized, that is, to bring Chinese products and culture to the American continents.
Twenty years ago, there were only six customs checkpoints on the US-Mexico border. Now every day, more than 120,000 cars enter through 72 newly-built checkpoints, passing by the Imperial Regional Center and bringing rich manpower from Mexico. When another 72 checkpoints are opened, traffic flow will multiply.
In 1991, James Lo purchased the land which would become the center based on his belief that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would be approved in the near future. He knew that when that happened most US-made products sold to Canada and Mexico would be exempt from tariffs. According to NAFTA, semi-finished products completed in nearby bonded warehouses or factories could be marked “Made in USA” and be sold to Canada and Mexico under favorable policies. The products could, via Mexico, enter Central and South America and the 44 countries with free trade agreements with Mexico. They could also be sold back to the US as international brands. As a result, the Imperial Regional Center would be one of the most competitive international business platforms for investors.
The US government has introduced QE3 to boost the economy. What's more, the government has announced that in 2020 the US would the biggest oil export country, which would certainly attract Middle East oil barons to the country. Understanding James Lo’s business platform is a necessity for businessmen planning to enter the American market.
