Mitch Daniels concluded his final full day of business on the China portion of his Asian economic development mission yesterday by discussing business prospects with more Chinese companies, telling Indiana’s story at a seminar on investment opportunities in Indiana and meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Indiana’s sister-state province.
The governor started the day with back-to-back meetings with the leadership of two global private enterprises that are interested in expanding into U.S. markets. He was joined by Indiana Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob and Steve Akard, state director of international development. The governor gave his familiar sales pitch on the ease of doing business with Indiana and the state’s economic climate.
“Without question this has been the most important day of the trip so far,” said Daniels. “End to end we were seeing businesses that have a serious interest in the United States market and in bringing jobs and investment there.”
Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Department Deputy Director General Peng Bo hosted the governor at a luncheon event. The department helped coordinate much of the governor’s schedule during his stay in Hangzhou. In August 2008, a small delegation of Zhejiang Foreign Affairs Department officials traveled to Indiana to meet with state officials.
Daniels also visited the “Spirit of Man” sculpture on the Foreign Affairs Department grounds. The sculpture is a gift given to the Province by then-Governor Frank O'Bannon to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the sister-state relationship. In 1987 when the relationship was founded, Governor Robert Orr presented the province with a large limestone bison, and Zhejiang Province gave Indiana two large marble lions. The lions are now located near the entry to the Indianapolis Zoo.
During the afternoon, Daniels and members of the Indiana delegation offered a seminar about investment and cooperation opportunities in Indiana for representatives of Chinese companies seeking to invest in the state. Many of the Chinese attendees at the seminar joined Daniels and the Indiana delegation at a banquet hosted by Zhejiang Governor Lu Zushan.
Prior to meeting with Governor Lu and attending the banquet, Daniels met with members of the local media at the Zhejiang State Xihu Hotel in the same room in which the Joint Communique of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China (Shanghai Communique) was signed in 1972 by Assistant to the President Dr. Henry Kissinger and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.
The governor concluded his day by meeting another private global firm interested in investment opportunities in Indiana.
Today, the governor and delegation travel to Tokyo, Japan. This will be the governor’s fourth trip to Japan as he continues his Asian economic development mission. Events in Japan will commence on Saturday when Daniels and the delegation participate in 10th anniversary sister-state events with the Tochigi Prefecture. The Midwest U.S.-Japan Association Conference will begin in Tokyo on Sunday.
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