Security tight at Boeing plant

EVERETT — An invitation to hear the Chinese president went out to all 20,000 Boeing employees at the Everett plant as well as other locations throughout Puget Sound, with the understanding that security would be much tighter than other Boeing events held inside the production bays. Employees were told to be inside and through security checks by 10 a.m. President Hu Jintao and Boeing commercial airplanes chief executive Alan Mulally didn't appear until 10:55 a.m., much to the grumbles of many employees needing to get back to work.

Between 5,000 and 6,000 employees, dignitaries and invited guests made up the crowd, including Congressmen Rick Larsen and Jim McDermott, Gov. Christine Gregoire and executives from King and Snohomish counties.

With a movie-theater-size screen hung high above the stage, employees watched images of the future 787 Dreamliner fly through the sky prior to Hu's appearance. They also heard interview segments with employees of Chinese parts' contractors. On stage were 14 U.S. and Chinese flags as part of the stage backdrop.

Thankful for the business

Robert Thomas, who has worked at Boeing since 1988, now works on the 777 assembly line. Before the speeches, he said, "With domestic air carriers failing, if it weren't for Asian companies buying airplanes, we'd be hurting now. If Boeing continues to sell, then we get to keep working. I think most workers here are resigned to the fact that they'll be building parts in other countries, but we don't want to lose final assembly here. We've already lost a lot of jobs to outsourcing."

Robert Christian, 20-year-Boeing employee in commercial procurement, said, "We [Boeing employees] know that regardless of what is going on in the world, China is a big part of our work here. I think it's important that the finishing process stays ere, but it's impossible to ignore that you can get things done less expensively overseas. That's always going to be a challenge for this company."

Leslie Penner, a 27-year Boeing veteran for a 20-month layoff in 1983, gets parts where they need to be for the 777 assembly line.

"I'm here to support Hu because China is our [Boeing's] future. We're always in fear of our jobs being out-sourced, but I know that at age 55, I'll retire in about five years without losing my job again. But the younger generation here is much more iffy. It's a bittersweet arrangement. China buys planes, but they also make parts, which means jobs.

Congressman to meet Hu in the other Washington

"We started a U.S.-Chinese working group to educate Congress on China. Talk there is not always positive about China and some times inaccurate. We want to encourage a change in that," Larsen said.

On the other side of the relationship, he said, "It's important that the Chinese remember there are great companies like Boeing in the United States that can help the Chinese economy grow. We want to talk about investment. I also want to talk about security and the opportunity for military-to-military talks. It's a chance to work together and lower some of the tensions there."

On human rights, Larsen had no intention to raise the issue. "I think the Chinese are getting the hint that when they come to the United States, everything is on the table."

P.S. from Gates dinner

If Chinese President Hu Jintao ever needs a new job, he may want to serve as a pitchman Starbucks.

Speaking to business executives, politicians and other dignitaries during a dinner Tuesday at the home of Microsoft

Chairman Bill Gates, Hu expressed his desire to be a regular at the ubiquitous coffee-store chain.

"Starbucks coffee shops have mushroomed in China's cities," said the Chinese leader through a translator.

"If I were not serving in this office, I would certainly prefer to go into one of the coffee shops run by Starbucks," said the usually reserved Hu, drawing laughter from the crowd, which included Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz.

Starbucks, based in Seattle, opened its first store in China in 1999 and now has close to 400 shops there. It expects the country will eventually be its largest overseas market.

— Reuters pool report