Council Leads Tech Delegation to China
A high-level delegation of Bay Area entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors and scientists led by Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman this week (Oct. 19) completed a successful one-week visit to China to attract new technology investment to the Bay Area. The group included Joint Bioenergy Institute CEO Dr. Jay Keasling, a pioneer in synthetic biology and associate director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Delegates participated in investment matchmaking events in the Yangpu District of Shanghai, the Yuhang (Future Tech City) in Hangzhou and the Gulou District in Nanjing—the Council maintains offices in all three districts. The delegation also visited Tsinghua University and Zhongguancun Technology Park in Beijing.
Other highlights of the trip included a private dinner hosted by the Bank of China at their Shanghai Headquarters Penthouse; UC Berkeley alumni events in Shanghai and Beijing; a private meeting in the Zhejiang Provincial Party Headquarters; a meeting with IBM China Chief Technology Officer Xiaowei Shen; and dinner at the home of Hanhai Investment Group Chairman Wang. The Council also met with numerous top-level Chinese government officials, including Liu Linlin, Director of American & Oceanian Affairs in the Ministry of Commerce; Guo Hong, Director General of Zhongguancun Tech Park; Li Yueqi, Party Secretary of Yangpu District; Xie Jiangang, Mayor of Yangpu District; Yao Zhiwen, Director General of Organization Department of Zhejiang Province; Xie Zhicheng, Vice Mayor of Nanjing City; and, Ai Xuefeng, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen.
The Council will continue to serve as the investor relations team for these companies as they attract important technology investments into the Bay Area from China. The Council’s business development platform in China is available to help all Bay Area companies and organizations to access the growing markets of China and attract investment at home. To engage in the Council’s China work, please contact Chief of Global Business Development Del Christensen.
