Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Oakley Mayor Anissa Williams, Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao, East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez, Li Mingquan of Chongqing’s Foreign Affairs Office, Morgan Hill Mayor Pro Tem Marilyn Librers, San Carlos Mayor John Dugan, and Victor Wang, founder and chairman of China Silicon Valley in Hong Kong.
Multiple city leaders from the Bay Area were in the Chinese city of Chongqing on Monday as part of a weeklong trip intended to foster investment, business and tourism exchanges between China and cities in Northern California.
The May 19-26 trip was organized by Palo Alto-based nonprofit China Silicon Valley, which was formed in 2012 to improve business cooperation, create jobs, increase economic activity, facilitate investment and international trade and promote communications between China and the Silicon Valley region.
This year marked the first return trip to China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and included Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Oakley Mayor Anissa Williams, Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao, East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez, Morgan Hill Mayor Pro Tem Marilyn Librers, San Carlos Mayor John Dugan, and Victor Wang, founder and chairman of China Silicon Valley.
Hernandez-Thorpe shared that he was eager to promote Antioch’s economic strengths and potential for job expansion and strategic trade.
“I know for sure that Antioch will be following up, because we talked about the deep-water ports in Antioch,” he said, referring to the port off Wilbur Avenue that recently welcomed its first shipment of cars from China. Hernandez-Thorpe said the group met with government officials in Hong Kong on their first day, along with leaders from Invest Hong Kong, the government department responsible for foreign direct investment, and the privately funded China-United States Exchange Foundation, which aims to encourage constructive dialogue between the people of China and the United States.
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With Antioch ramping up to break ground on two warehousing facilities, Hernandez-Thorpe expressed a particular interest in Invest Hong Kong, whose leaders he said were interested in developing businesses in the west with a focus on fashion and advanced manufacturing industries.
In the days ahead, the group will focus on cultural exchange and economic growth opportunities, Hernandez-Thorpe said.
“We’re not the same city we were four or five years ago,” Hernandez-Thorpe said. “Having our deep-water ports and actually utilizing them puts us in a different category.”
Mayor Williams said Oakley is a young community but it’s rapidly growing.
“I see this trip as an opportunity to extend relationships with a world economy that is focused on technology and an increasing foothold in the green/sustainable space,” she said Monday. “Through these connections, my hope is to bring a wealth of jobs to not only our city but our region as a whole.”
These fools still think that China, or actually the CCP, is/are our friends. Instead, they should insist on them investing here and scrutinize their behavior. It has been a one way street for some time to our detriment.
Dirk, they are fools. Another abuse & waste of taxpayer money. There is a budget deficit and these blind politicians somehow feel a $100K jaunt to communist China is going to do what?
Perhaps another shady deal with China is coming, similar to Gavin's $1 Billion NO BID covid mask deal with newly formed BYD Mask Company?
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(2) comments
These fools still think that China, or actually the CCP, is/are our friends. Instead, they should insist on them investing here and scrutinize their behavior. It has been a one way street for some time to our detriment.
Dirk, they are fools. Another abuse & waste of taxpayer money. There is a budget deficit and these blind politicians somehow feel a $100K jaunt to communist China is going to do what?
Perhaps another shady deal with China is coming, similar to Gavin's $1 Billion NO BID covid mask deal with newly formed BYD Mask Company?
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.