GASME News

Sichuan Province Deputy Governor Meets with GASME Chairman

Sichuan Province Deputy Governor Mr. Huang Xiaoxiang met with the US business delegation led by Global Alliance of SMEs (GASME) Chairman William Spitler, formerly Director of US Department of Commerce Commercial Service's Greater New York Center, on the morning of July 18th, 2009 at the Eastlake Hotel in Meishan, Sichuan.

Deputy Governor Huang extended a warm welcome to Chairman Spitler and his delegation who were attending the Global SME Expo (Sichuan) 2009 and Sichuan International Forum on Pickled Vegetables. The Deputy Governor believed that the two programs would help further strengthen exchanges and cooperation between his province and the United States and that more American SMEs would form broad partnerships with Sichuan.


Deputy Governor Huang also said: "After the massive earthquake in our province last year, many American friends provided various forms of assistance and support to our relief and rebuilding efforts. I would like to thereby convey our gratitude to your country on behalf of the Sichuan Provincial Government! During the past year although Sichuan suffered a severe natural disaster and in the meantime was impacted by the economic recession, however the province has been able to maintain a high rate of economic growth. This fully demonstrates that the economy of our province possesses a strong foundation for growth. In recent years, through the two-pronged efforts from both the government and the private sectors in both countries, the two nations have enjoyed a fine trading relationship with expanding collaborations. Our province and our Sister Province/State in the US of many years, the State of Michigan, have been conducting a variety of exchanges and cooperation in such areas as culture, science and sports, etc. We look forward to continuously expanding our exchanges and cooperation."

Chairman Spitler noted that, through the introduction of US-China Exchange Association (USCEA) and GASME, eight cities in Sichuan province have so far established partner city relationships with American cities, namely, Yinbin and Columbia, SC, Mianyang and St. Charles, Missouri, Mianyang and Bluffton, IN, Neijiang and Hartford, CT, Longquanyi and Orlando, FL, Pengzhou and Corpus Christi, TX, Shuangliu and Denver, CO, and Jintang and Hawaii County, HI. These partner cities have carried out meaningful exchanges and collaboration, generating many satisfactory results. He hoped that the delegation's visit this time could lead to better understandings, new friendships and more partnership opportunities.


Distinguished members of the US delegation included Dr. George Wang, President of the US-China Exchange Association and a member of the International Council of the US National League of Cities, Mr. Robert Coble, Mayor of Columbia, SC, Mr. Tom Means, Mayor of Mountain View, CA, Ms. Charmaine Shigemura, Assistant Mayor of Hawaii County, HI, Ms. Sue Greenwald, Vice Mayor of Davis, CA, Mr. E.W. Cromartie, Vice Mayor of Columbia, SC, and Mr. Shawn He Yuxun, Chairman of MeetChinaBiz.org. Also in attendance were Mr. Li Jing, Mayor of Meishan City and Mr. Jia Zhuangmiao, Deputy Director of Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce.

Prior to the meeting, the US Delegation attended the "Global SME Expo (Sichuan) 2009" in Chengdu on July 17th, which was jointly organized by GASME and USCEA.