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Upstate Alliance Delegation Heads to China for Business Recruitment

Submitted by: Richard Blackwell on May 30, 2008 at 2:10 pm Tagged with: Economic Development, Incentives, International business, Marketing Source: Upstate Alliance

(UPSTATE, SC) -- The Upstate Alliance will embark on a business recruitment and marketing trip to several different areas of China beginning May 29th and returning on June 12th. This will be the second trip to China in that last two years for the Upstate Alliance.

The Delegation will consist of: Hal Johnson, President and CEO of the Upstate Alliance, Vivian Wong, Founder of the Global Trade Consortium (GTC), Thomas Wong, Board Member for the GTC , City of Greenville Mayor Knox White, Frank Davis from the Haynesworth Sinkler Boyd law firm, and Stan Vincent, Board Member for the GTC.

Each participant brings with them a certain degree of expertise from immigration law to knowledge of specific business practices. Having participants from the Global Trade Consortium attend this trip is a benefit due to their relationships and Chinese business knowledge. The delegation will be led by Hal Johnson, but each participant will be working hard to state the case on why the Upstate region is a great place to invest. Hal commented that, “as the global market changes with a weak dollar and the fact you have more international companies looking to North America for new opportunities, the timing is ripe for a trip like this to take place in China. Numerous Chinese companies are evaluating the US marketplace and this region, with its’ international diversity, has to be in front of them.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Chinese companies have invested more than $280 million in S.C. and have created more than 1,400 jobs in the state. In 2007, the People’s Republic purchased more than $700 million of goods from South Carolina. South Carolina’s exports to mainland China were up 28% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2008.

The Upstate Delegation will have meetings in seven cities with both the economic development officials and companies in each location. Expected highlights of the trip:

*The Upstate Alliance team will meet with representatives from the South Carolina Department of Commerce Shanghai office
•A meeting will take place between the Upstate Alliance Delegation and Hong Kong Officials
•The Upstate Alliance Delegation will also meet with the China Real Estate Group in Beijing
•A meeting will be held with Tianjin Foreign Trade Zone Officials and multiple companies from the region to discuss future business opportunities
•The Alliance Representatives will meet with Yuengchen Plate Co. Corporate Officials to thank them for their investment in Spartanburg County in 2008
•The Upstate Team will meet with the Zibo government officials and economic development officials to discuss the potential of opening a new office in the Upstate’s Global Trade Center
•The Upstate Delegation will attend a Trade Show in Guangzhou and have the opportunity to interact with over 300 companies

“In today’s global economy, competition is worldwide, and so are the opportunities. No region can afford to sit back and wait for the benefits of foreign trade and development. We have a responsibility to partner with the private sector and promote Upstate South Carolina effectively and aggressively,” said Hal Johnson.