Mayor Anthony Foxx will lead a delegation of local business and civic leaders traveling to China to meet with Chinese government and business leaders in Beijing, Baoding, Langfang and Shanghai November 10 – 19, 2011.
The trip will focus on economic development, including expanding investment in Charlotte, building on city’s new EcoPartnership with Langfang, and highlighting Charlotte’s emergence as a global energy hub. This will be Mayor Foxx’s first international visit since taking office in December 2009.
Among the trip’s highlights, the delegation will visit the energy facilities of Boading Tianwei, ENN Group in Langfang and Jetion Solar outside of Shanghai. In July 2011, Jetion Solar (a subsidiary of Jetion Solar China, Ltd.) opened the company’s North American sales and service center in Charlotte. While in Shanghai, the Charlotte International Cabinet and corporate sponsors will host a Business Networking Reception for the Mayor’s delegation, representatives of Chinese companies with a presence in Charlotte and 15 members of the North Carolina General Assembly visiting China with a separate delegation.
“China’s economy has grown into the second largest in the world. Seventeen Chinese companies are already invested in the Charlotte region. We believe this number has the potential to grow exponentially over the coming decades. Increasing our knowledge of China and building relationships in China today will create jobs in Charlotte in the future. We applaud Mayor Foxx for his leadership and are pleased to partner on his mission to China,” said Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber President.
While in Langfang, the Mayor’s delegation will meet with local political leaders and energy executives to strengthen the Charlotte’s EcoPartnership relationship, established in May 2010, between the City of Charlotte, the City of Langfang, Duke Energy and ENN Group to focus on cleaner energy generation, smart grid technologies and energy efficiency solutions.
In Baoding, the delegation will meet with political officials and celebrate the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Boading-Charlotte Sister City relationship, an alliance that has helped to foster multiple exchanges between the cities. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has designated Boading as the “Electricity Valley” with approximately 170 renewable energy companies with operations established there. The parallel economic situations of Charlotte and Baoding have created an opportunity to leverage the Sister City relationship into direct commercial and investment ties.
“We are delighted to have Mayor Foxx join the Charlotte International Cabinet to promote international relationships with Charlotte. For the first time in over a decade, the CIC is able to engage a Mayor in direct citizen diplomacy in Baoding. We are excited to utilize existing funds to promote economic development and advance educational exchange opportunities between our two cities,” said Charlotte International Cabinet Baoding Committee Chair and Executive Board member Rory McNicholas.
Mayor Foxx’s travel to China is paid for by the Charlotte International Cabinet. The CIC receives funding from a variety of sources, including the City of Charlotte to promote Charlotte as an international city and serve as a resource to foster international relationships. The CIC budget directs a portion of their funding specifically for Mayoral visits to Sister Cities. The rest of the delegation will be sponsored by local companies.
Businesses can sponsor the Mayor’s Delegation to China with a donation to the Charlotte International Cabinet, a 501(c) 3 organization that promotes Charlotte as an international city and serves as a resource to foster international relationships. For more information on the sponsorship packages, contact Alexis Gordon at (704) 336-2174 or visit www.charlotteinternational.org.
