qinhand@chinaspectrumtravel.com
Albert (Al) Riley has been married to a Vietnamese/Chinese girl for 40 years, was in the Advance Party that opened United States relations with China in early 1973 and stayed on with the United States Liaison Office under former President George Bush until 1975. Retired from the U.S. State Department after some 30 years in the Foreign Service - served and traveled widely in Asia (Japan, Korea, Vietnam, China), South America, and Africa - as well as the Middle East and Washington, D.C. Worked for the China Travel Service Hong Kong-owned Florida Splendid China Theme Park in Kissimmee, Florida, from October 1993 until the park closed on December 31, 2003 - the last four years in charge of Public Relations, Media, and Adult Education. Since the mid-1990s has annually traveled to China - sometimes on personal research/study trips, sometimes escorting education tours, or on business for others. Recent travel has also included Vietnam and Korea. Teaches Chinese history, culture, religion, and philosophy for the Stetson University (Deland, Florida) Department of Continuing Education Elderhostel Program. Recent coverage by Chinese media (Xinhua, People's Daily, Chinese TV) refers to Mr. Riley as one of if not "the" top expert outside China on Chinese cultural and historical landmarks. People's Daily calls him "Da bizi Zhongguoren" - meaning a "big nosed Chinese." (Caucasian/foreigner Chinese).