WTCGP and Tianjin delegation exchange details on trade and investment opportunities for both regions at recent meeting in Philadelphia

6/3/2016

Philadelphia, PA, USA - On June 2, 2016, the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia (WTCGP) hosted a breakfast meeting at the Philadelphia law offices of White & Williams LLC (a WTCGP Leadership Council Member) for a delegation of numerous officials from Tianjin, China.

During the meeting, participants explored best opportunities for cooperation to expand trade and investment between Tianjin and the Binhai New Area and Greater Philadelphia. With the growing need for advanced medical care in China and the interest of Chinese students to attend U.S. colleges and universities, promising sectors identified included health (including medical tourism) and higher education, both strengths of the Greater Philadelphia Region. In addition, Tianjin delegation officials agreed to assist WTCGP member companies in accessing and facilitating business connections and opportunities in in Tianjin. Delegation Chair Zhang Tiejun concluded the meeting by extending a personal invitation to the City and Greater Philadelphia Region to visit Tianjin and the Binhai New Area. This included the possibility of a 2017 trade mission to Sister City, Tianjin, organized by the City of Philadelphia.

This successful visit illustrated the power of connection – between the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia and its fellow world trade centers worldwide and the collaboration among the City’s and the Region’s trade-related organizations working together to help companies and communities grow through global trade and investment.

Background on the Delegation Visit: The Value and Reach of the World Trade Center Network
Both nationally and regionally, China remains an important market for U.S. exporters. In our region, China ranks as the third largest market for Pennsylvania and the seventh largest for New Jersey. It is not surprising, then, that in China alone, there are more than 40 world trade centers, representing thousands of members and prospective business partners and customers for companies in our region. The World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, in keeping with its mission to accelerate global business growth for companies in the Region, provides companies with important connections to its fellow world trade centers in China and around the world.

The World Trade Center Association Tianjin reached out to the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia to organize a visit to Philadelphia of officials from Tianjin, including representatives from the Binhai New Area special development zone. Founded in 1989, the WTC Tianjin provides international trade services including economic and trade information, exhibitions, matchmaking, trade missions, and training. The WTC Tianjin acted as the organizer for the Tianjin delegation’s trip to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia maintains an active, 36 – year Sister City relationship with Tianjin. The purpose of the visit is to build upon this valuable history and expand connections between Tianjin and the Binhai New Area and Greater Philadelphia companies and trade organizations leading to increased trade and investment.

Tianjin-Philadelphia Delegation Meeting Attendees (June 2, 2016)

Featured speakers included:

Linda Mysliwy Conlin, President, WTCGP
Gary P. Biehn, Board Chairman, and White and Williams LLP, Chairman, China Business Group and International Group
Siobhan Lyons, President and CEO, Citizens Diplomacy International
Matt Cabrey, Executive Director, Select Greater Philadelphia
Eric Cao, Deputy Division Chief, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, World Trade Center Association (WTC) Tianjin
Zhang Tiejun, Deputy Director, People’s Government of Tianjin Binhai New Area

WTCGP Member companies and institutions participating in the meeting included:

Dr. John Bennett, President and CEO, Devon International
Julie Mostov, PhD, Senior Vice Provost Global Initiatives, Drexel University
Jeffrey Ji, President, U-Combination Technology
John O’Brien, International Sales Manager, Education Management Systems

Tianjin and the Binhai New Area
Located in northern coastal China, Tianjin has a total population of more than 15 million people, making the municipality the fourth largest in China. Tianjin is fast becoming a hub city for international shipping and logistics, manufacturing and research and development. Created in 2009, Tianjin Binhai New Area is located in northeast China, in the coastal region of the Tianjin municipality and has been designated by the Chinese government as a special development zone. The area includes a Free Trade Zone, an international seaport, and an international airport. It is a 30 minute high-speed train ride from Beijing. There are 141 Global 500 companies with operations in Binhai New Area. Major sectors are: aerospace, petroleum chemical, electronic information, automobile, biological medicine, new energy, grain and oil textile, and finance.