Welcome to China

Our 14 hour flight arrived in Shanghai and we immediately boarded a bus to Hangzhou, which is three hours to the southwest.

As we drove along the interstate it was interesting to see agricultural practices rooted in the past - with small ponds raising ducks and fish and tiny plots of land growing grains and vegetables being tended to by single farmers in wide-brimmed straw hats - surrounded by modern multi-lane highways and new housing starts.

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang - Indiana’s sister province - is a city of over 7 million and has been ranked as one of Mainland China’s best commercial cities, due in part to its ideal location near Shanghai and being nestled in the Yangtze River Delta, which affords a wealth of international trade opportunities to the region. It is also known for being one of China’s “green” cities due to its investment in its environmental resources.

As business has flourished in Hangzhou, the city has earned a reputation as a center for information technology, software development and telecommunications equipment.

Hangzhou is considered a domestic and international tourist destination; in fact Marco Polo declared the city of Hangzhou, “beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world.” It is known for its lovely West Lake area, home to tea houses and water taxi tours.

Indeed, Hangzhou is a modern marketplace and we are eager to kickoff our trade mission with a meeting tomorrow morning at Zehjiang International Trade Group as we discuss agriculture, jobs and investment opportunities between Indiana and China. Perhaps the message in my fortune cookie on the long flight over put it best:

“There are many new opportunities that are being presented to you today.”