It’s ten years since Manchester City Council established formal links with Wuhan in the People’s Republic of China, the fastest growing major economy in the world.
Following on from earlier visits, an outward mission involving the City Council, Manchester Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and China Gateway is being planned for September this year. This provides the opportunity for business relationships to be established and contracts to be secured. Manchester City Council during the last two years has led civic and trade missions to Beijing, Wuhan and Hong Kong and has received over 30 different Inward Trade and Civic delegations to Manchester since 1995.
The City Council is currently engaged with a number of key partner organisations and agencies in the North West to promote trade and business with China. In addition to this, memorandums of understanding have been signed which are promoting trade, economic, cultural, sporting, and educational links between Manchester and Wuhan City.
Trade links have always been a major driving force between the two cities and Manchester in conjunction with the London-based China Britain Trade Group maintains an office in Wuhan. The aim is to strengthen economic cooperation with Wuhan, the largest city in central China with a conurbation of approximately seven million people – formed by the union of three cities, Hankow, Hanyang, and Wuchang.
A year ago the City Council led a Regional Challenge Bid in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the TEC, Umist, Yangtze Enterprise and Chinese Marketing & Communications to support trade and investment development work among local companies.
Following the success of the bid, China Gateway North West was established to take the project forward. Together with the participants in the bid it is a member of the China Gateway Partnership. The aim of the partnership is to intensify two-way trade and investment with China, and to restore the North West to its historic position as leader and innovator in trade, commerce, manufacturing and investment to the benefit of both countries.
For more information about the mission to Wuhan contact Penny Wang Orme on 0161 237 4031 or Michelle Kavan on 0161 237 4113.
CHINA GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP
China Gateway North West
Contact – Michelle Kavan 0161 237 4113
Manchester City Council
Contact – Carol Judge 0161 234 1502
Chamber of Commerce
Contact – Penny Wang Orme 0161 237 4031
Yangtze Enterprise Ltd
Contact – Steve Tang 0161 236 9881
TEC Contact – Richard Smith 0161 236 7222
UMIST Contact – Suzanna Thornton 0161 200 3665
Chinese Marketing & Communications
Contact – Simon Jones 0161 237 3821