Laurance Liu, 43; Helped Form L.A. Ties With China

Laurance Liu, a Los Angeles restaurateur credited with paving the way for the Los Angeles/Canton Sister City program and who also helped negotiate the visits of Giant Pandas and Golden Monkeys to the city’s zoo, has died in Hong Kong, it was learned this week.

A memorial service for Liu, who died of a viral infection at age 43 on Sept. 11, is scheduled at the City Council Chamber at 4 p.m. today.

Liu was born in Shanghai and with his brother, Denis, was co-owner of Liu’s Restaurant in Beverly Hills and president of the Los Angeles/Canton program at his death. He accompanied Mayor Tom Bradley and other city officials on visits to China while maintaining offices in Los Angeles and Hong Kong to broaden Chinese business ventures with Los Angeles firms. He also served on the board of the National Committee for U.S. China Relations.

In 1984 he was a leading negotiator for the loan of the pandas to the Los Angeles Zoo for the Olympic Games and later was involved in the current visit of the Golden Monkeys.

In addition to his brother, he is survived by his wife, Rebecca, two daughters and his mother and father.