Stafford represented in China
By JENNIFER BUSKE
jbuske@staffordcountysun.com
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Stafford County Sun
Chinese-born entrepreneur Jimmy Yang left home more than a decade ago to begin business in the United States.
Now, after successfully opening two supply companies in Stafford, Yang works to entice others to move to and invest in the greater Fredericksburg region.
"Jimmy is exceptionally well connected with the senior leadership at the very highest levels of Chinese government," Fredericksburg Regional Alliance President Gene Bailey said. "He is not only a trade representative, but is an excellent ambassador from China to the people of our region."
Yang, along with Bailey and about a dozen other business entrepreneurs from the greater Washington, D.C. area, traveled to the Changzhou region of China last month to network with leaders from across the world and promote the Fredericksburg region.
"It was a highly successful conference," Bailey said. "I think we have established a strong presence and positive image of our region in the Changzhou region of China."
Yang was selected in March to act as director of the Changzhou economic and trade liaison office in Washington, D.C., and as senior economic adviser to the Changzhou municipal government in China.
As the liaison, Yang's job is to build relationships between Changzhou and the Washington, D.C. area. Because of his location in Stafford, Yang said he is particularly interested in having international businesses relocate to the Fredericksburg region.
"We strongly recommend people come to the Stafford and Fredericksburg area," Yang said. "And, since I represent the Chinese government, I really want to establish a win-win situation for both regions. Through my efforts, Gene Bailey's and other officials', I think that will be accomplished."
The international forum Yang and other officials attended last month was sponsored by the Changzhou Municipal People's Government and focused on science, technology, foreign trade and economic cooperation among businesses across the world, Yang said.
"I've gone to this conference four or five times before but I believe this one was the best," Yang said, adding that the Changzhou government invested $6 million in the event. "It was very impressive and I got to do a lot of networking."
More than 2,000 business leaders from around the world attended the conference, Yang said, noting about 40 of those represented the United States. The conference, which ran Sept. 28-30 was filled with meetings, seminars and speeches, including one given by Bailey.
"I recommended him to speak because I knew it would be a good opportunity to get more exposure for the Fredericksburg region," Yang said. "Gene is always very professional and I brought him because I knew he could speak highly of the region and part of our mission on this trip was to continue to market our region."
During his speech, Bailey said he established that the Fredericksburg region is a part of the greater Washington D.C. area and is one of the fastest growing places in the country, he said.
"Not everyone had the chance to promote a region in front of the delegation, but they afforded me an opportunity you cannot buy," Bailey said. "We got excellent exposure and a lot of things happened that were truly phenomenal."
Bailey said it was also important he let people know this region offers a business-friendly environment.
"It's not only about facts and figures, but it's also about establishing a friendship," Bailey said. "It's important to extend a smile and a handshake and let people know they can set up a business here among friends."
Besides promoting the region to worldwide business leaders, Yang said he also worked on establishing a sister city relationship with Changzhou. Although nothing is finalized, he said Changzhou's government is "very positive" about the relationship.
"There will be a lot of follow-up and we will have to do a lot of homework, but I think the sister-city program is very important," Yang said. "I'm really going to push for this region to become a sister city with Changzhou."
Changzhou already has nine sister cities around the world, Yang said. If this region becomes No. 10, it would promote trading, bring more international business to the area and also allow for student-exchange programs to be set up between regions.
"I think this was my most successful trip yet because there was more talk and we are closer to establishing the sister-city relationship," Yang said. "This would be a huge investment on the Chinese's side and would bring a lot of international business to our region."
Although working on this partnership was a large part of the trip, Yang said he also formed several other business contacts during the conference and has one construction company "looking very seriously" at moving to the Fredericksburg region.
Stafford entrepreneur Nike Ladeji also attended the conference and said she was able to successfully network with companies to further her new business. Ladeji's company acts as a business alliance, helping to connect companies from around the world together.
"I was speechless when I got there," Ladeji said. "I'm a black woman and when I got there I was not discriminated against. In China, if you respect their culture, they will fully respect you. It was really an eye-opener. I'm going to preach to people to reach out to them because they are beautiful people."
Ladeji said she does a lot of work in the energy field as well as with copper - two commodities of interest to the people of China.
"I'd heard a lot about China's interest in Ethanol in order to clean air pollution," she said. "I have a plantation in Africa that grows the crop they are going to be using to manufacture Ethanol, which is why I really wanted to go - to make the connection."
Although the next Changzhou conference is a year from now, Yang and Bailey said they will continuously work to build relationships and bring international businesses to the region.
Yang said he also plans to host two delegations from Changzhou sometime in the next few months.
"This friendship certainly holds great promise for promoting economic development now and in the future. This is a long-term process and Jimmy will play, in my opinion, a vital role in this development," Bailey said. "I think there will be many more exchanges between these two regions in 2007."
jbuske@staffordcountysun.com
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Stafford County Sun
Chinese-born entrepreneur Jimmy Yang left home more than a decade ago to begin business in the United States.
Now, after successfully opening two supply companies in Stafford, Yang works to entice others to move to and invest in the greater Fredericksburg region.
"Jimmy is exceptionally well connected with the senior leadership at the very highest levels of Chinese government," Fredericksburg Regional Alliance President Gene Bailey said. "He is not only a trade representative, but is an excellent ambassador from China to the people of our region."
Yang, along with Bailey and about a dozen other business entrepreneurs from the greater Washington, D.C. area, traveled to the Changzhou region of China last month to network with leaders from across the world and promote the Fredericksburg region.
"It was a highly successful conference," Bailey said. "I think we have established a strong presence and positive image of our region in the Changzhou region of China."
Yang was selected in March to act as director of the Changzhou economic and trade liaison office in Washington, D.C., and as senior economic adviser to the Changzhou municipal government in China.
As the liaison, Yang's job is to build relationships between Changzhou and the Washington, D.C. area. Because of his location in Stafford, Yang said he is particularly interested in having international businesses relocate to the Fredericksburg region.
"We strongly recommend people come to the Stafford and Fredericksburg area," Yang said. "And, since I represent the Chinese government, I really want to establish a win-win situation for both regions. Through my efforts, Gene Bailey's and other officials', I think that will be accomplished."
The international forum Yang and other officials attended last month was sponsored by the Changzhou Municipal People's Government and focused on science, technology, foreign trade and economic cooperation among businesses across the world, Yang said.
"I've gone to this conference four or five times before but I believe this one was the best," Yang said, adding that the Changzhou government invested $6 million in the event. "It was very impressive and I got to do a lot of networking."
More than 2,000 business leaders from around the world attended the conference, Yang said, noting about 40 of those represented the United States. The conference, which ran Sept. 28-30 was filled with meetings, seminars and speeches, including one given by Bailey.
"I recommended him to speak because I knew it would be a good opportunity to get more exposure for the Fredericksburg region," Yang said. "Gene is always very professional and I brought him because I knew he could speak highly of the region and part of our mission on this trip was to continue to market our region."
During his speech, Bailey said he established that the Fredericksburg region is a part of the greater Washington D.C. area and is one of the fastest growing places in the country, he said.
"Not everyone had the chance to promote a region in front of the delegation, but they afforded me an opportunity you cannot buy," Bailey said. "We got excellent exposure and a lot of things happened that were truly phenomenal."
Bailey said it was also important he let people know this region offers a business-friendly environment.
"It's not only about facts and figures, but it's also about establishing a friendship," Bailey said. "It's important to extend a smile and a handshake and let people know they can set up a business here among friends."
Besides promoting the region to worldwide business leaders, Yang said he also worked on establishing a sister city relationship with Changzhou. Although nothing is finalized, he said Changzhou's government is "very positive" about the relationship.
"There will be a lot of follow-up and we will have to do a lot of homework, but I think the sister-city program is very important," Yang said. "I'm really going to push for this region to become a sister city with Changzhou."
Changzhou already has nine sister cities around the world, Yang said. If this region becomes No. 10, it would promote trading, bring more international business to the area and also allow for student-exchange programs to be set up between regions.
"I think this was my most successful trip yet because there was more talk and we are closer to establishing the sister-city relationship," Yang said. "This would be a huge investment on the Chinese's side and would bring a lot of international business to our region."
Although working on this partnership was a large part of the trip, Yang said he also formed several other business contacts during the conference and has one construction company "looking very seriously" at moving to the Fredericksburg region.
Stafford entrepreneur Nike Ladeji also attended the conference and said she was able to successfully network with companies to further her new business. Ladeji's company acts as a business alliance, helping to connect companies from around the world together.
"I was speechless when I got there," Ladeji said. "I'm a black woman and when I got there I was not discriminated against. In China, if you respect their culture, they will fully respect you. It was really an eye-opener. I'm going to preach to people to reach out to them because they are beautiful people."
Ladeji said she does a lot of work in the energy field as well as with copper - two commodities of interest to the people of China.
"I'd heard a lot about China's interest in Ethanol in order to clean air pollution," she said. "I have a plantation in Africa that grows the crop they are going to be using to manufacture Ethanol, which is why I really wanted to go - to make the connection."
Although the next Changzhou conference is a year from now, Yang and Bailey said they will continuously work to build relationships and bring international businesses to the region.
Yang said he also plans to host two delegations from Changzhou sometime in the next few months.
"This friendship certainly holds great promise for promoting economic development now and in the future. This is a long-term process and Jimmy will play, in my opinion, a vital role in this development," Bailey said. "I think there will be many more exchanges between these two regions in 2007."
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