Trump speech should extend welcome to Asians: observers

Observers believe that Donald Trump should talk about an inclusive Republican Party,especially if mentioning the Asian community,when he accepts the GOP nomination for president Thursday night in Cleveland.

Trump's acceptance speech may turn out to be the second most important one in his life if he wins the presidency on Nov 8.It will mark the culmination of a long and arduous odyssey that few outside of the candidate and his immediate family thought would produce this opportunity.

Trump has called on Mexico to pay for a wall to be built along the US border to stem illegal immigration into America and also has proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country.

His hard-line positionsmay have helped in the primaries as polling revealed that immigration was a more important issue to Republicans than to Democrats.

However, it could turn into a drag in the general election and may alienate key voting constituencies, like Hispanics and Asian Americans.

Lanhee Chen of the Hoover Institution, a key adviser on Asian-American affairs for the Mitt Romney campaign in 2012,said a speech that touches on inclusiveness would help Trump with the Asian community in November.

"I want him to say he will build a party of people from all backgrounds and that includes Asian Americans," Chen said in an interview. "It would help if he can demonstrate why the fastest-growing minority group in America (Asians) is an important voting bloc."

"I think he already has a message that resonates with Asian Americans – jobs, the economy and ensuring that the American dream is still achievable," said Jason Chung, director of Asian Pacific American Initiatives for the GOP.

George Leing, a Chinese American, is a GOP national committee member from Colorado. He would like Trump to recognize the historical importance of immigration.

"We want to welcome people from all over the world. Americahas been built on immigration, as most of us are descendants of immigrants whether,it is recently or a long time ago. Together, we can move our country forward, but we have to do it legally," Leing said.

State Representative Keiko Orrall, a Republican from Lakeville, Massachusetts, and a delegate to the convention, wants Trump to tell voters how he and the party are different from the Democrats.

"We want a simpler, smarter and smaller government," Orrall said. "Our message will move this country forward."

Lee Hoffman is a delegate from Elko, Nevada, who is retired from the gold mining industry. He said Trump should provide details on who may advise him.

"I want Mr Trump to talk about how he will build a team that will advise him," said Hoffman. "He should explain how he will look for an experienced staff from within the party and outside the party too."