The intention of today's talk is to help Americans understand how the Chinese view their history so that we can better understand how they view the current historical moment. 

China has a history that goes back at least 4000 years and for almost all of this time -- excepting a brief interregnum between 1800 and 2000  CE -- Chinese civilization was among the most powerful and influential on the planet. The Chinese view the past 200 years as an aberration that is now being set right as they regain their "rightful" place as a global center of power.  

After quickly reviewing the geography of China and explaining how it has influenced historical developments, the speaker proceeded to give a lightning-fast tour through 4000 years of Chinese dynasties; touching upon some highlights to illustrate interesting points that might inform current events. This included:

1. The Shang/Zhou transition and the "Mandate of Heaven"
2. The unifying nature of the ambitious, but short-lived, Qin dynasty
3. The Han dynasty that rivaled Rome and established Confucianism as the state religion and set up the beginnings of the storied Chinese Civil Service system.
4. The Romance of the Warring States period.
5. The greatness of the Tang Dynasty, including the unusually powerful position that women had and the first - and only - woman Emperor: Wu Zetian who set up her own dynasty during this period. 
6. The short-lived Ming Dynasty.
7. The great Qing Dynasty, including the depredations of the British Empire Drug cartel and the Opium Wars; the abysmal Tai Ping Tian Guo civil war in 1850-1862 (possibly 30,000,000 dead.)
8. The Communist Dynasty established by Mao Zedong; the disaster of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
9. The opening up under Deng Xiaopeng
10. The ascent of Xi Jinping and the current trajectory of China that harks back to Mao's vision of a unified and globally powerful China; and further back to the Qin dynasty and its view of how China should be ordered.

Chapnick concluded by stating his belief that given China's view of itself as a global power for almost its entire history, the Chinese will be unflaggingly assertive of their prerogatives as a world leader and will not back down from any conflict with the US. In particular, although not wanting to be suicidal, they will eventually reclaim -- by peaceful means, if at all possible, but other means if necessary -- Taiwan that consider an indissoluble part of China.  He also believes that Xi Jinping takes the recapture of Taiwan as the final unresolved piece of his legacy and that the time pressure of age could push President Xi -- currently in his mid-70's -- into a much more aggressive posture as he ages.

Andrea Vizenor, CSM Exec. Director of Strategic Initiatives and Economic Development introduced herself and their President, Dr. Manuel Alejandro Pérez. We were given a warm welcome to the new Half Moon Bay . We introduced ourselves.  

Warren’s guest, Jeff Chiu, financial advisor with Edward Jones. Transferred from San Mateo. 

Announcements and News

Bring wine for Lobster Fest, $25, one red, one white. Barb will decorate and organize the wine pull. 

Our fourth outbound student, Kenji, is going to Italy. Pasquale from Sardinia, Italy,  is our incoming student. He wants to be an engineer or go into Internal Medicine. 

Warren is looking for major sponsors for Lobsterfest. 

The 5th of June meeting will be about Lobsterfest.  

Global Grant Scholarships update: Emma Tobin, went to Cambridge, her study focus was on women at risk. She has worked internationally in that area. She was with USAID and is now unemployed. 

Liz introduced Dr. Ramon Miramontes. He’s been on the job for 5 months. He’s been a principal, teacher and has held other leadership roles. He was in the Fullerton Rotary Club and is in the process of transferring to our club. He started out by watching the board meetings online. There is a lot of work to be done. Important items include—finances, staffing (3-4 to hire), pay for teachers, operational efficiency, instructional investments and partnerships with non-profits and the county. He put in a plug for the Principal for a Day event. It will be on 9/9/25 it’s actually a half day and is really fun. 

Andrea gave us an overview of the CSM coastside expansion. There are several different tuition options for students, such as the Promise Scholar Program and Tuition Waiver for Undocumented Students. It includes a pathway for students to complete their Associates degree in two years and transfer ability to four year colleges. 

Summer classes in Half Moon Bay include Art 204, drawing, ESL listening and speaking course. They are in the process of designing their fall courses and will make that information available asap.  

They are providing aid workshops as well as college and career counseling. Super Days, help with registering and counseling. 

In fall, what kind of classes? Courses that could help prepare for transfer, workforce development and language acquisition. For example, they will have an intercultural communication course, introduction to fire technology course, an ESL course, etc.              

If programing gets more popular, will you have space available. They have partners that will share space. They want to grow and be responsive to the community. 

“Everyone welcomed everyone and had a good time,” commented Rotary Club President Irwin Cohen, who with wife Nancy attended the event. “All of us enjoyed each other’s company, as it should be.”

It may have been chilly outside on Thursday evening; but the Rotarians, spread over some four tables inside the restaurant, warmed themselves by celebrating the success of last weekend’s Dream Machines. Though nippy weather last Sunday made for fewer dream-machine enthusiasts ogling the gleaming classic cars and planes parked at the Half Moon Bay Airport, Dream Machines was a success for Rotarians' efforts( at the car parking activity fund raising for the Club), community members and visitors alike.

And that generous and celebratory Dream Machines spirit continued its momentum into Coastside Gives on Thursday. 

“It was a great event,” said Rotarian Ginger Minoletti. “We celebrated our success at Coastside Gives” with a few more donations. Indeed, as of 7:30 that evening, donations had soared up to $4,900 and counting.

Coastside Gives was expected to continue until midnight on Thursday.