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P. 10
VER STORY
First American at Canton Fair –
Fifty Years in China (Part 1)
Editor's Note: Dr. David Buxbaum at Canton Fair
An intriguing true, stranger than fiction,
autobiographical short story of a living legend and
prominent US lawyer who arrived in China 50 years
ago as the first American to receive an invitation
to the 1972 Spring Canton Fair, after the President
Nixon earthshaking visit to China in February and
March 1972. He then stayed for the past 50 years.
You cannot miss reading this thrilling Story of fifty
years of trial and tribulations. David Buxbaum
was the first and perhaps the only foreigner to
be active in the courts in China helping American
and multinational companies successfully enter
the Chinese market. David also argued a case
successfully before the US Supreme Court against
a former US Secretary of Agriculture, Butz et al. v.
Economou et al.438US478(1978).
Following is the First of a three-part series.
A HALF CENTURY ANNIVERSARY
OF A SHORT TRIP TO CHINA
By David Buxbaum, Governor of AmCham South China
On 13th April 1972, I arrived in Guangzhou, having travelled by train from Hong Kong. This short trip, which
I had anxiously anticipated for some time, came about three weeks after President Nixon returned to USA
from his dramatic and historic trip to China.
By way of background, I was born in New York City in July 1933, grew-up in a place called Seagate, on the tip
of New York intruding into Gravesend Bay; and a small rural village in up-state New York, called Jeffersonville,
population 500. I went to university at NYU, in University Heights, a beautiful place that no longer exists.
The elegant campus contained the Hall of Fame, overlooking the Hudson River and was a dynamic hive of
intellectual activity. Prior to entering college, I was considering two possible careers, either as an artist; or
a professional baseball player. After four good years in the university, I still was not well directed; but since
there was a military draft at that time; I volunteered for the draft and was inducted into the US army on 16th
September 1954, for two years. Following a short stay in Fort Dix, New Jersey and several weeks in Camp
Chafee, Arkansas, I was shipped to Wertheim am Main, Germany. Though I started as a field wireman in the
artillery climbing trees to arrange communications, my significant activity in the army consisted of being
in charge of a small group located in Heidelberg, Headquarters, US Army Europe; monitoring a part of the
Mutual Defense Assistant Program (“MDAP”) provided by the US government; and touring Europe with a
team that included some major league baseball players putting on baseball exhibitions for other soldiers.
While professional baseball loomed high in my aspirations, my desire to become an artist dissipated, and as
7 AMCHAM SOUTH CHINA
First American at Canton Fair –
Fifty Years in China (Part 1)
Editor's Note: Dr. David Buxbaum at Canton Fair
An intriguing true, stranger than fiction,
autobiographical short story of a living legend and
prominent US lawyer who arrived in China 50 years
ago as the first American to receive an invitation
to the 1972 Spring Canton Fair, after the President
Nixon earthshaking visit to China in February and
March 1972. He then stayed for the past 50 years.
You cannot miss reading this thrilling Story of fifty
years of trial and tribulations. David Buxbaum
was the first and perhaps the only foreigner to
be active in the courts in China helping American
and multinational companies successfully enter
the Chinese market. David also argued a case
successfully before the US Supreme Court against
a former US Secretary of Agriculture, Butz et al. v.
Economou et al.438US478(1978).
Following is the First of a three-part series.
A HALF CENTURY ANNIVERSARY
OF A SHORT TRIP TO CHINA
By David Buxbaum, Governor of AmCham South China
On 13th April 1972, I arrived in Guangzhou, having travelled by train from Hong Kong. This short trip, which
I had anxiously anticipated for some time, came about three weeks after President Nixon returned to USA
from his dramatic and historic trip to China.
By way of background, I was born in New York City in July 1933, grew-up in a place called Seagate, on the tip
of New York intruding into Gravesend Bay; and a small rural village in up-state New York, called Jeffersonville,
population 500. I went to university at NYU, in University Heights, a beautiful place that no longer exists.
The elegant campus contained the Hall of Fame, overlooking the Hudson River and was a dynamic hive of
intellectual activity. Prior to entering college, I was considering two possible careers, either as an artist; or
a professional baseball player. After four good years in the university, I still was not well directed; but since
there was a military draft at that time; I volunteered for the draft and was inducted into the US army on 16th
September 1954, for two years. Following a short stay in Fort Dix, New Jersey and several weeks in Camp
Chafee, Arkansas, I was shipped to Wertheim am Main, Germany. Though I started as a field wireman in the
artillery climbing trees to arrange communications, my significant activity in the army consisted of being
in charge of a small group located in Heidelberg, Headquarters, US Army Europe; monitoring a part of the
Mutual Defense Assistant Program (“MDAP”) provided by the US government; and touring Europe with a
team that included some major league baseball players putting on baseball exhibitions for other soldiers.
While professional baseball loomed high in my aspirations, my desire to become an artist dissipated, and as
7 AMCHAM SOUTH CHINA
