13-07-2010 | BUILDING LINKS WITH CHINA
Prospect Leicestershire has been working to create and build links with Central and Western China to attract long term collaboration and inward investment from one of the world's fastest growing economies.
Business leaders, VIPs and dignitaries from the city and county have welcomed a series of Chinese civic, twinning and trade delegations.
A number of opportunities have been created from the visits, including engagement between the Xindu District of Sichuan and Loughborough University, interest in inward investment from the Xindu District to Leicester and an invitation for Loughborough University to set up a technology centre to promote their technologies and services to silicon companies in Leshan.
Events have included: the Chongqing civic visit to Leicester City, which included meetings with Chas Bishop from the National Space Centre, Science Park Project Manager Peter Chandler and presentations from the University of Leicester; a visit from business leaders from the Xindu district of Sichuan, which looked at sustainable construction and low carbon technologies in the East Midlands to identify potential areas of cooperation; a visit from delegates from the city of Leshan, which looked into twinning with Charnwood Borough and the city for collaboration in education, tourism and hi-tech industry; and a visit from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Foreign Affairs to discuss further promoting links with Leicestershire and Sichuan, particularly in political visits, economic and trade cooperation and education exchanges.
