World Business Chicago Connects With China Region

World Business Chicago Connects With China Region

May 09, 2006

Chicago's Outreach to China Continues to Grow

    CHICAGO, May 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- In yet another
example of Chicago reaching out to the ever-growing Chinese
economy, World Business Chicago's director of international
business development, Tom Bartkoski, this week will address
business leaders in Nanjing, China at a forum on developing
the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

    Bartkoski will introduce Chicago's economy to some 300
Chinese business and government representatives from eight
provinces and two municipalities.  The Yangtze River
Economic Belt is the region stretching west from Shanghai,
and accounted for 46% of China's GDP in 2005.  The area is
key to building the country over the next 15 years, as
China's growing economy continues to move west.  

    Bartkoski's visit comes at an exciting time for
China/Chicago relations:  

    -- The Chicago Public Schools' Chinese language program
has been
       recognized by the People's Republic of China as the
largest and best in
       the world

    -- On Wednesday, May 10, the Confucius Institute for
the development of
       cultural ties will open the only non-university
institute at Walter
       Payton College Prep

    -- American Airlines' new nonstop service between
Chicago and China along
       with United's market leadership, makes Chicago's
O'Hare the base for
       25% of all nonstop air service between the U.S. and
China - vital for
       doing business

    -- Cohesive efforts to reach out to Chinese business,
government and
       tourists are flourishing throughout Chicago's civic
and corporate
       communities

    Like the Midwest United States, the Yangtze River Belt
is located in the interior of China.  Bartkoski will
discuss how Chicago has found success as an international
center for commerce, while being located in the center of
the continent. Chicago is the intermodal capital of North
America and is the Western Hemisphere's #1 intermodal
container handler.

    The Forum, May 8-10, is hosted by groups including the
Chinese Association of Productivity Science and the
Development and Reform Commissions of Jiangsu Province and
Nanjing City.  Chief Representative of the United Nations
in China, Khalid Malik, will also address the forum.

    Chicago-based management and investment consultancy,
Royal Roots Global, Inc. is a designated support
organization for the forum.  Royal Roots director, Anita
Tang, has arranged for some half-dozen American businesses
and professionals to join Bartkoski at the forum including
Steve Crain, President/CEO, Crain Enterprises,Inc. and
Lawrence Freeman, CEO/President, Global Business
Consultants, Inc.
  
    World Business Chicago (WBC) is a not-for-profit
economic development organization promoting metropolitan
Chicago. WBC markets Chicago's competitive advantages,
coordinates business retention and attraction efforts, and
seeks to enhance Chicago's business-friendly environment.
WBC's Board of C-level corporate executives is chaired by
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

    For more information, please contact:

     Karley Sweet of World Business Chicago
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail] 

     Jim Biery of Royal Roots Global, Inc.
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  World Business Chicago