As they go a travellin’ along that Chinese road

If it’s Wednesday, it must be Tianjin…

As our Podunkian portal sniffed out on Friday, Mayor Herb Pond has gone to China to see the…. uh, economic types. Pond and Clayton Williams of Prince Rupert Remax Realty are the two members of the Prince Rupert contingent in the Colin Kinsley led expedition to China, as the Prince George mayor seeks out trade contacts and friendship with our Asian neighbours.

The Daily News had some background on the long distance friendship tour, where the Mayor hopes to broker new contacts for the Port of Prince Rupert as well as possibly search out the next twin for our town to share that flag that he’s flying… The Daily’s travel planner update pumps up the volume for the travelling team for Northern B. C. and was featured as the front page story in Monday’s paper.

MAYOR IS FLYING RUPERT’S FLAG DURING VISIT TO CHINA
Herb Pond is part of a delegation promoting Northern B. C. in Beijing and beyond
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Monday, June 16, 2008
Page one

Opportunities surrounding the development of the Fairview Container Terminal and the Northwest corridor will be on the minds of delegates heading to Beijing this week.

Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond and Clayton Williams, representing Prince Rupert Real Estate, have joined a group out of Prince George on a one-week trade mission to Beijing.

Team Northern B.C. (TNBC) comprises representatives from organizations including the University of Northern B.C. and Initiatives Prince George and Rio Tinto Alcan.

"The idea is to position northern B.C.," said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond. "There's actually a day at the B.C. Pavilion where Northern British Columbia is being featured and the corridor is being featured."

The opening of the Fairview Container Terminal signaled the opening of a new trade corridor from Asia stretching across the ocean to Prince Rupert, through Northern B. C. in Prince George, Fort St. John and on to Edmonton. The route is faster, offering geographic advantage to shippers and new opportunities for producers on the backhaul of containers to Asia, he said.
Pond said the B. C. Pavilion is strategically located opposite Tiananmen Square.

“There are number of invites that have gone out for that particular day inviting businesses and officials to that event,” he said.

The week for Team Northern B. C. begins today with sector briefings at the Canadian Embassy. Tuesday will see Prince George Airport Authority participate in a Department of Foreign Affairs-sponsor investor showcase for Asia-Pacific Gateway projects, exposing the new air logistics business opportunity to the Chinese investment community. Other delegates will tour feature development projects in Beijing. Wednesday involves an all-day tour to the Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area which is home to the Tianjin Port, the gateway to Northern China to explore ways of trying the two regions economically through trade, investment related to manufacturing and transportation. Thursday, is Northern B. C. Day at the BC – Canada Pavilion in downtown Beijing and includes a number of presentations, meetings and product showcase events throughout the day profiling Northern B. C. More than 100 business and partners of the delegation have been invited to the event. Team NBC’s final day in Beijing will be spent in follow-up meetings and in touring facilities in the Beijing area. The group departs Beijing for Vancouver on June 21.

Pond said both he and Williams have spoken with the Prince Rupert Port Authority and hope to have a significant impact in promoting the community and development of the Northwest gateway.

In addition, they will also explore the potential for twinning relationships with Chinese communities.

Earlier this year, the city received $50,000 from the province to help develop a new twinning relationship.