(WASHINGTON, DC) – In a continued effort to strengthen ties and increase trade and investment with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced that Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins will leave tomorrow for a nine-day economic-development mission to China. Deputy Mayor Hoskins’ mission follows up on the China trip he took in June alongside Mayor Gray, other administration officials and private-sector representatives.
“Last year, I took part in a similar trade trip to strengthen our business relationships with several cities across China, and I am proud that Deputy Mayor Hoskins will continue that overseas economic-development work to ensure that the District continues to diversify our economy,” said Mayor Gray. “As we work to increase the District’s profile in the global marketplace, this trip will focus on securing foreign direct investment, attracting technology companies and building academic partnerships.”
Deputy Mayor Hoskins is leading a business-development mission to promote investment, trade, and education opportunities for the District in China. He will be accompanied by other DC government officials, as well as leaders from American University, Howard University, The George Washington University and the University of the District of Columbia. During the trade mission, the Deputy Mayor and staff from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will present investment opportunities to stakeholders in China and the participating universities will build international partnerships to promote educational exchanges between China and the District.
Three stops are planned for the trip:
• Beijing, where District representatives will meet with government officials, sovereign wealth funds, universities and technology companies;
• Shanghai, where the District will meet with government officials, the local chamber of commerce, and potential investors; and
• Suzhou, where university officials will visit The George Washington University’s new satellite campus and learn from its academic expansion efforts.
The trip is meant to continue building on the relationships that have emerged between many District-based businesses, academic institutions, individuals and their Chinese counterparts. While there, Deputy Mayor Hoskins and the delegation will work on attracting foreign direct investment into the District, inviting Chinese high-tech companies to open research and development facilities in the District, and establishing new partnership agreements between DC-based education institutions and China-based universities.
The full District trade delegation includes:
• Deputy Mayor Hoskins
• David Zipper, DMPED Director of Business Development & Strategy
• Karima Woods, DMPED International Business Manager
• Doug Guthrie, Dean of the George Washington University School of Business
• Sanjay Rupani, Chief Strategy Officer, George Washington University School of Business
• Kirsten Stajich, Director of Dean’s Initiatives, George Washington University School of Business
• Barron Harvey, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University
• Heather Elms, Associate Professor, American University School of Business
• Jian Hua, Associate Professor, University of the District of Columbia School of Business.
The District is directly spending $2,618 for travel and per diem for Deputy Mayor Hoskins, DMPED Business Development Director David Zipper and DMPED International Business Manager Karima Woods. Local transportation and lodging within China will be provided by the DC China Center, per the District’s contract with the center. For more information on the DC China Center, please see its website here. In addition, a flyer on the DC China Center is attached to this press release.
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