A large AmCham China delegation visited the Expo Central China 2015 held this week in Wuhan, Hubei province. The delegation, led by Chairman James Zimmerman, attended the Opening Ceremony and Thematic Forum as well as the Investment Environment Promotion and Project Matchmaking Conference of the Six Central Provinces, namely Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hunan and Hubei.
The expo, now in its ninth year, bore the official theme of “Openness and Cooperation, Transformation and Development, Revitalization and Rising.” Vice Premier Wang Yang addressed the opening ceremony and encouraged central China to speed up reforms and create an internationalized environment that would attract foreign investment. Chairman’s Circle member Terex was among the exhibitors, having taken advantage of free exhibition space offered to AmCham China members thanks to the chamber’s long-term support for the expo.
Later in the day, Zimmerman addressed the Hubei Investment Project Seminar and Signing Ceremony, which featured contract signings for 45 projects worth RMB 176.7 billion (about $28.5 billion). Zimmerman said that a majority of AmCham China members in the Central China Chapter were optimistic about their near-term outlook, and he thanked the local government for its support. “In our view, Hubei is a springboard to central China,” he said. “For our members operating in Wuhan, almost 90 percent said they are satisfied with local government support.”
In the evening, the AmCham China Central China Chapter held a cocktail reception at the Renaissance Wuhan Hotel, with guests including US Consul General Joseph Zadrozny. “It’s very nice to have such a large delegation down from Beijing,” he said, highlighting plans to expand the US citizen and visa services at the US Consulate General in Wuhan. “We look forward to supporting you.”
