And Morehead was the first school to answer their inquiries. Morehead's small-town atmosphere, low crime rate, and cheap tuition also impressed the Chinese officials. And Weiqing says they saw similarities between southeast China and northeast Kentucky. There are also economic similarities. Guangxi has some coal mining.
Tobacco is a major cash crop there.
Guangxi doesn't have a surgeon general. But smoking is under attack there, too. Guangxi Tobacco Co. Guangxi has its own affirmative action program for ethnic minorities to assist with schooling and employment. It has 12 major ethnic minorities as well as a significant Christian religious minority. In the past, Guangxi lagged economically, but it is now making substantial progress.