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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

UPDATED: Dallas mayor leads trade mission to China

Trip will promote trade, investment, tourism and non-stop flight

By Pegasus News wire

Updated 12:13 p.m., April 28, 2008

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DALLAS — Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert will lead a delegation of city officials and business leaders on a trade mission to China. The visit will include meetings and ceremonial events in seven cities over eight days.

During the trip the delegation will lay the groundwork with Chinese airlines to move toward a non-stop flight from China to DFW Airport within the next few years. The group will work to promote Dallas as a tourist destination with a Chinese population that has more cash and ability to travel around the world. The delegation will also establish formal relationships with several cities that are considered economic powerhouses in China and promote the use of the Inland Port, the rapidly growing trade logistics hub in the southern sector of Dallas County. And they will meet with companies considering establishing or moving US offices to Dallas.

“We are laying the foundation - building solid and personal relationships - that we hope will translate into investment, new facilities and jobs for Dallas,” said Mayor Leppert. Three members of the City Council will join him on the trip.

Since taking office, Mayor Leppert has made international tourism and trade a key element of Dallas’ economic development plans. In January, the Mayor led a trade delegation to Mexico, and earlier this week he helped host a meeting between local CEOs and the visiting President of Mexico. With China now Dallas’

top trading partner – and with eight of its top ten trading partners from Asia – the city’s government and business leaders must have a world wide view.

“We can no longer afford to think of business on just a national scale, or even limit our efforts to this hemisphere,” said Mayor Leppert. “We have to be actively recruiting foreign companies, foreign trade and foreign investment. For Dallas to prosper, we must all compete on a global scale for a global economy. “

The group will depart Friday, April 25 and return on Friday, May 2. The cities include Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Delegation members include

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert (and his wife, Laura)

Dallas Councilmember Ron Natinsky (and his wife, Nancy), Chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee

Dallas Councilmember Tennell Atkins (and his wife, Marshella); Vice Chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee

Dallas Councilmember Jerry Allen, Member of the Council’s Economic Development Committee

Robert Hsueh, Member of the DFW Airport Board

Joe Lopano, Executive Vice President, DFW Airport

Laura Estrada, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau Chairwoman Elect

William Tsao, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Member of the Board

David Lind (and his wife, Miranda); CEO, Corgan Associates

Linda Kao*, Director of MBA Global Program, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University

*will only be joining the delegation on certain segments of the trip.

Source: City of Dallas

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Comments

John McClelland

John McClelland Verified

Once again a waste of city funds.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

Of all the pathetic Dallas city hall related BS around here, I think this trip really tops it all for the month if not the year.

This nice sojourn through Asia has to be an award winning display of political stupidity.

http://www.mardigrasmadeinchina.com/t...

not to mention the obvious:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia...

It's sad we're funding a golden backscratcher tour for this delegation. Real nice of Tom to trot out a couple token asians, too.

I see it now:

"Hey, Chinese businessman, we gots your people, too! Come ride the bus in Dallas! Bill, take it awaYYYY!"

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle

Scott Doyle Verified

No worries, DC. I'm sure Tom will make it a point to display how important he is and get kidnapped for ransom...which few, if any, would be willing to pay.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

You'd think this sort of actual, real-world event related to human rights and our local economy would be more interesting than the goblins talk.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Billusa99

Billusa99 Anonymous

Love that avatar, DC. Where'd you get such an awesome idea?

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

Seemed like a good idea at the time.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle

Scott Doyle Verified

Still does, imo.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost

Rick Yost Verified

Making Dallas a tourist destination for the Chinese is probably a good thing. I dare say, in today's economy, they DO have more cash and ability to travel around the world than Americans do.

However, I still can imagine the whoopie cushions, and Trojans being stuffed into their suitcases.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost

Rick Yost Verified

In the near future, we may need a non-stop from China just to deliver rice.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle

Scott Doyle Verified

Or, to deliver our vertically-challenged future overlords.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

John McClelland

John McClelland Verified

I wonder if they will continue to proclaim that the Dallas Hub is actually in Dallas (which btw it's not).

And I still wonder why spouses are going on the trip. There was question last time as to who paid their way.

I bet you if I went to the Council today and asked them if they knew anything about international shipping, the freight forwarders in their city, the steamship lines, etc. I would get a blank stare.

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

DO IT!!!

2 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

EdWeirdness Anonymous

Let's start counting down the days until we can elect another mayor!

2 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

bobdon000

bobdon000 Anonymous

Angela Hunt for Mayor !!

She had the good sense not to particpate in this boondoggle.

2 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC

DC Anonymous

This is it?! Still outraged about the evolution goblins not being allowed to teach organic chemistry, but no one really gives a crap about the mayor out on a ladyboy excursion on the taxpayer dollar?

Seriously...

2 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

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