Mayor Launches Second DC China Center in Beijing; Announces New Economic Development Partnership
October 2nd, 2014
Last month, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and Interim Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development M. Jeffrey Miller celebrated the opening of the second DC China Center in Beijing. During the ceremony, Mayor Gray also announced the launch of the Greater Washington China Investment Center (GWCIC), a public-private partnership designed to help Chinese companies as they enter the US market. GWCIC’s co-founders include its CEO, Doug Guthrie; its President, Bill Black; and its Vice President for Research, Sarah Kellogg. Beijing technology companies Taikong and Sanzen are GWCIC’s first clients.
Mayor Gray was joined by Ma Wenpu, the Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress Eleventh; Liang Zhuang, the Secretary General of the China Overseas-Educated Scholars Development Foundation and the Vice President of the Entrepreneurs Association of Western Returned Scholars; Ying Chen, the Executive Director of the North American International Exchange Center of China Overseas-Educated Scholars Development Foundation and the Chairman of the Global Alliance Corporation of Science and Technology Investment; Wei Liu, the Vice Secretary General of the China Overseas-Educated Scholars Development Foundation; Hanjun Yang, the Chairman of Shenzhen East Grenfell Industrial Corporation and the Chairman of the Board of Shenzhen Deshiva Corporation of Investment; Rushern L. Baker, III, County Executive, Prince George’s County, Md.; and Victor Hoskins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Economic Development and Infrastructure, Prince George’s County, Md.
The GWCIC announcement and opening of the DC China Center in Beijing come amid the District’s 10-day trade mission to the People’s Republic of China, where city leaders are participating in events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the District’s Sister City Relationship with Beijing. The District opened its first international office in Shanghai in June 2012.
“With the opening of our second DC China Center, we are expanding our efforts to attract further foreign investment and grow the District’s economy,” said Mayor Gray. “The Beijing and Shanghai offices position the District to accomplish the ambitious goals outlined in our Five-Year Economic Development Strategy.”
The DC China Center in Beijing will serve as a portal to information and services as the District strives to expand its reach in China with a focus on development and investment in tourism, education, technology and arts/culture. The office is located on Beijing’s main financial street — often referred to as the “Wall Street of China.”
The critical mission of the DC China Center is to help business owners and entrepreneurs successfully and easily navigate the District’s regulatory environment. This will be done via one-on-one business educational sessions to current business owners looking to conduct business in the District of Columbia. Through the DC China Center, visitors can access EB-5 information sessions, workshops, seminars, one-on-one technical assistance, and other services offered by several District government agencies and private-sector partners. Both offices will be overseen by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
For more information about the DC China Center, go here.