By Tillman Durdin
The New York Times
Friday, April 28th 1972.

    Hong Kong, April 27 – Americans attending the Canton trade fair have concluded their first direct business deals with China in more than 20 years, according to information reaching here today from Canton.

    Contracts have been signed for the purchase and shipment directly from China to the United States of Carpets, fireworks, drugs and modern Chinese paintings, informed sources here reported.

    Goods will for the first time go directly from a Chinese port to a port in the united states. Up to now, all products from mainland China have entered the united states by way of other countries.

    To their surprise, American businessmen at the fair have been permitted to pay for purchases in United States dollars exchanged directly into Chinese currently at the rate of 2.267 yuan to a dollar. They were under the impression that they would have to use an intermediary currency, such as sterling or marks or yen.

    One American concern that has signed a contract at the Canton fair,according to a company spokesman here today, is the May Lee Import-Export Corporation of New York and San Francisco.

    David Buxbaum, representing May Lee at Canton, has sent word here that he had signed Canton at the fair and then a contract for the purchase of a substantial amount of Chinese carpets.

    There are now understood to be 10 to 12 American business representatives in Canton attending the fair and before the month- long exhibition is over on May 15 between 15 and 40 more Americans are expected to attend along with the thousands of other businessmen from countries all over the world who take part in the twice a year fair.

    Americans who have been given visas for the fair include representatives of the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry, the California Council for International Trade, the Greater San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.

    Visas granted to Americans so far show that Peking has rejected all who applied in Hong Kong. Permits have been given only to Americans who applied in and came from the United States.
A number of American businessmen based in the United States made trips to Hong Kong to apply for attendance at the fair, but the fact that their applications were made here appears to have blocked their chances.

    Peking’s attitude is in keeping with its preference for dealing directly with foreign countries and their nationals. Peking obviously feels it gets more political impact by cutting out any middle-man aspect to trade by not using Hong Kong in any way.

  NEW York, Tues.- China yesterday issued its first known invitation to an American company to attend the Canton Trade Fair.

    David C. Buxbaum, chairman of the May Lee Import-Export Corporation and a subsidiary Asian Development Business Services Limited, said that he had received an invitation from the Chinese Trade Commission in Ottawa, Canada, inviting his company to participate in the Canton Fair.

    May Lee, a public company incorporated in 1970, imports Chinese products through Hong Kong including rugs, jewellery and furniture,

    The Canton Fair is China’s most important foreign trade event. It is held twice a year on April 15 and October 15.

    The main purpose of the Fair is to provide a center to which foreign traders can come to purchase Chinese products.

    About 50 per cent of China’s US$2,000 million worth of exports, which include textiles, soyabeans, animal products, minerals, pharmaceuticals and carpets ate sold at the Fair.

    The Chinese also buy at the Fair, which attracted about 20,000 foreign visitors last autumn.

    The US State Department said it knew of no official invitations but expected a few American companies would be invited.

    Dr Richard Louie, president of Asian Development Business Services said that May Lee had applied in February to the Chinese Trade Commission for an invitation to the Canton Fair.

    “we went to Ottawa and held discussions in Chinese and English,” Louie said.

    Buxbaum said: “We are elated that China has recognized our activities and interests by inviting May Lee to be among the first American companies ever to attend the Canton Fair. May Lee is pleased to accept the invitation.”

 China has issued her first known invitation to an American company in New York to attend the Canton Trade Fair.

    Mr. David C. Buxbaum, Chairman of the May Lee Import-Export Corporation and a subsidiary, Asian Development Business Services Ltd, said in New York yesterday he received a telephone call from the Chinese Trade Commission in Ottawa, Canada, inviting his company to take part in the Canton Fair.

    May Lee, a public company incorporated in 1970, imports Chinese products through Chinese Hong Kong, including rugs, jewellery and furniture.

    Dr Richard Louie, President of Asian Development Business Services, said that the firm would represent American concerns wanting to export to China.

    He said most of the companies would be in high technology areas.

    However, the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said that it could make no comment.

    A spokesman for the State Department said in Washington that nothing would be definite until the actual visas were issued.

    He said it knew of no official invitations, but expected that a few American Companies would be invited to the fair.