In Taipei, there are four commercial officers and 17 local trade staff.

He was assigned to Blantyre, Malawi, as economic and commercial officer from 1968 to 1971.

Leahy continues as Airbus' chief commercial officer, a role he has held since August 1994.

The commercial officers are reabsorbed into State.

At his confirmation hearing, he said he saw himself as "the first commercial officer of the embassy."

Later, he was a commercial officer with the British consulate in New Orleans.

"In order to make it worth your while, you're going to have to be offered the incredible plum of the Soviet market," said one Western commercial officer.

From 1977 to 1980 Gao worked for the Chinese embassy in Zaire as a commercial officer.

"Part of it is unbridled greed," said the Western commercial officer.

John Leahy, Airbus's chief commercial officer, predicted that orders would top 100 before the end of the show on Sunday.