By CASEY NEILL
GREATER Dandenong’s business manager will visit China next month ahead of a proposed business delegation trip next year.
Paul Kearsley will head to China as a follow up to last month’s visit to the council’s sister city Xuzhou, in Jiangsu province, with mayor Angela Long and engineering services director Bruce Rendall.
During the visit, the delegation met with Xuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone Division representatives, and discussed a future industry and business delegation from Greater Dandenong visiting.
Mr Kearlsey said the Xuzhou officials were enthusiastic about the delegation, offered a verbal invitation, and suggested a tour in September next year to coincide with the 17th China Xuzhou Investment Fair.
“He hopes to take about a dozen business representatives. He’ll visit this year’s fair to get more information about whether it’s a worthy destination.
“It’s about determining what interests local businesses might have in the fair, and what interests those at the fair might have in Greater Dandenong,” he said.
A South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) representative will be invited to participate.
Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie said a delegation with five business people visited about four years ago.
One established an ongoing business relationship that the company has maintained.
“Even if one in five, or 20 per cent of our businesses, is able to secure new markets and new opportunities, that’s better than nothing,” he said.
The council has had a sister city relationship with Xuzhou since 1996.
Its aim is to foster international understanding, communication and goodwill and to promote cultural and idea exchange.
Xuzhou has in recent years become industrialised, and is now an important manufacturing centre within the Jiangsu Province.
