A Whirlwind Welcome for
Visiting Delegation of Chinese Investors,
Business Leaders and Officials of
Chinese Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA)
In the latest chapter of the “St. Louis Big Idea with China,” Gov. Jay Nixon, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, Speaker of the House Ron Richard, Congressmen Lacy Clay, Russ Carnahan, Todd Aiken,
St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann and host of other state and local elected officials and area business leaders recently welcomed a delegation of prospective investors from China to
St. Louis, for an in-depth 2-day investment and economic development tour of the region. Under the auspices of the recently formed Midwest-China Hub Commission, for which the RCGA is a founding member, the delegation of Chinese leaders is led by Madam Zhang Yingxin. Madam Zhang returned to
St. Louis after having joined Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, on his June 2008 visit to St. Louis, following the successful week-long St. Louis “ice breaker” delegation to Beijing in March 2008, led by U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill.
The “Big Idea” has as its focus making
St. Louis the Heart of America hub for Chinese trade and cargo, and for the location of Chinese investment and the location of the U.S. HQ for growing Chinese firms.
The delegation met at the Donald Danforth Plant Sciences Center, where RCGA
President and CEO Dick Fleming joined Hub Commission Chairman Mike Jones, and Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Linda Martinez to present an economic development overview on the bistate regional marketplace, followed by a stunning presentation of the St. Louis BioBelt’s world-class plant
sciences assets by Danforth Center president Dr. Roger Beachy and his colleague
Sam Fiorello.
The delegation then travelled to the corporate HQ of Express Scripts on the UM-St. Louis campus, where Gov. Jay Nixon, Congressman Lacy Clay and Express Scripts President and CEO George Paz welcomed the group and further briefed them on the business and corporate climate in St. Louis and Missouri.
Following an afternoon tour of St. Louis quality of life and business assets by the 38-member delegation, a festive dinner attended by business, civic and elected officials was held to honor the delegation at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown St. Louis.
The CIPA delegation completed their St. Louis visit at the Ritz Carlton Hotel with a luncheon and four parallel investor panel presentations developed by RCGA’s Economic Development Team on: Real Estate and Construction; Manufacturing (Auto, Machinery, Electronic Engineering), Plant & Life Sciences, Ag, Energy, and Clean Tech and High Technology (IT and Pharma).
Both the air cargo and the investment/economic development aspects of the “Big Idea China Project” will continue to be pursued in the months ahead by the Commission and its civic members.
|
Missouri Speaker of the House Ron Richard, Madam Zhang Yingxin, and Gov. Jay Nixon at the Express Scripts HQ.
|
|
(Left to right): Congressman Lacy Clay, Express Scripts Executive Vice Presdient and CFO Jeffrey Hall, and Express Scripts President & CEO George Paz.
|
|
Gov. Nixon addressing the delegation.
|
|
Gov. Nixon discussing the Big Idea with Madam Zhang.
|
|
U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (MO, 3rd) and Madam Zhang, leader of the Chinese Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) exchange gifts at a dinner attended by business, civic and elected officials to honor the delegation at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown St. Louis.
|
|
| Madam Zhang and RCGA Dick Fleming compare notes at Four Seasons dinner. |
