Karen Pence Focuses On Cultural Exchanges During China Trade Mission

In her time as first lady, Karen Pence has focused on literacy issues for children and adults. As part of a week-long trade mission to China lead by her husband, Gov. Mike Pence, she will continue an ongoing cultural exchange program between the Marion County Public Library and the Hangzhou library. 

So far on her first trip to China, Karen Pence walked on the Great Wall, visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and got a little surprise when learning how to make traditional dumplings.

"We were actually using duck from Maple Leaf Farms in Indiana," she said. "Maple Leaf actually ships and trades nearly 1 million ducks to China every year -- and they’ve been doing this for 25 years."

Next the delegation travels to Hangzhou -- a city south of Beijing that became a sister city to Indianapolis in 2008. The libraries in each city have carried on various exchanges over the years. On Thursday Pence will continue that tradition with some gifts.

"The book Hoosiers by James Madison, his new book that just came up, and a couple of (Indianapolis) symphony CDs as well. They will be giving us 39 different items when we visit them."

Pence and the delegation return to Indiana Saturday.

Watch a video Pence and Jackie Nytes, Marion County Library CEO, discuss the ongoing exchanges with the Hangzhou Public Library: