IEDC Takes a Delegation to China

IEDC took a delegation to China in January 2006. Steve Budd, Luke Rich and Ken Dobson joined IEDC staff Ed Gilliland, CEcD, and Roy Luo. The trip was hosted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization - Investment & Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO). The IEDC / UNIDO team traveled

to Shan Dong Province where they were joined by Provincial officials and representatives from a large state-owned construction & engineering firm. China Railway Erju Group Corp. (CREGC). The delegation met with the Vice Governor and then visited the cities of Tai An, Feicheng, and Dong Ying, meeting with party general secretaries and mayors.

The purpose of the trip was to explore an IEDC role to assist China in small city and town development. China is experiencing massive migration from rural to urban areas with much of the migration going to large cities. To relieve the pressure from the large cities, the government, working through UNIDO, has instituted a pilot program to undertake large-scale master development and industrial development in smaller cities. IEDC is assisting UNIDO and CREGC in implementing this program. Following the trip to Shan Dong Province, the delegation went to Chengdu in the Sichuan Province for meetings with CREGC. IEDC and CREGC signed a letter of intent to work together.