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Office of Communications Gwen Campbell Media, Community & Education Relations Tel. 318.673.5062 / Fax: 318.673.5087 gwen.campbell@shreveportla.gov | ||
Shreveport Mayor Cedric B. Glover today announced that he will travel to China and Washington D.C., starting Monday, October 12, 2009 on a 12-day trip focused on economic development, international green commerce, and sustainable development. | During his travel to China, the Mayor will attend the Caofeidian Forum, a three-day development and industrialization forum in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China. The event is co-sponsored by Hebei Provincial Government, Ministry of Land and Resources, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Development Research Center of the State Council of China, and Tangshan Municipal Government. Mayor Glover is an invited guest and will join nine other U.S. mayors, government officials from several countries, international organizations such as the UN and World Bank, and representatives from Forbes 500 companies. | The forum will examine the impact of the international financial crisis on the world economy while focusing heavily on “green” commerce. | Environmental industry-related topics will include sustainable development, renewable technology industrialization, and development of green economies. While in the country, Mayor Glover will meet with Chinese commerce and trade officials to discuss the acquisition of the Hummer brand by Chinese company Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery and related international trade and environmental sustainability issues of concern to the Shreveport area. | Travel and accommodations for the China trip are covered by the forum’s hosts at no cost to the City of Shreveport. | “I look forward to traveling to China to assert Shreveport’s presence internationally,” said Mayor Glover. “In today’s globalized economy, we have to actively seek out global opportunities and partnerships that will be beneficial to Shreveport and make us stronger not just nationally, but internationally. | This trip gives me the opportunity to tout the benefits of doing business in and with Shreveport, especially for some of the emerging green industries such as solar, wind, and new battery technology. Our affordable cost of doing business, access to rail, interstate, and water transportation, and accessible training opportunities with quality local education institutions makes our area an attractive potential partner for Chinese companies.” | The Mayor continued, “I will also meet with Chinese officials to discuss the final steps in approving the definitive purchase agreement for the sale of Hummer to Sichuan Tengzhong. Making this deal happen is one of my top priorities and represents an important step in ensuring a brighter future for our current GM plant, the well-trained automotive workforce in the region, and our local economy. I am going to deliver the message that Shreveport is well-positioned in terms of our trained workforce and positive business climate to keep Hummer production right here at the current automotive plant.” | Following the China trip, Mayor Glover will also travel to Washington, D.C. along with Assistant Director of Economic Development Matt Bailey for meetings with administration officials, GM executives, and the congressional delegation. He will meet with Ron Bloom, Senior Counselor to President Obama for Manufacturing Policy and a member of the Automotive Task Force under the Treasury Department. Along with Senator Mary Landrieu, Mayor Glover will also sit down with Tim Lee, GM Group Vice President for Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations, to discuss the future of the Shreveport GM facility. | “I want to thank Senator Landrieu for being responsive to the needs of our citizens and our families and helping to arrange meetings with Ron Bloom and Tim Lee,” said the Mayor. “We are facing the possibility that GM will be leaving Shreveport next year, so it is important that we proactively explore solutions that will restore plant production to its maximum capacity, keep our auto workers on the job, and keep the doors of local and surrounding small businesses open. While I am hopeful about the possibilities for continued Hummer production here, I will continue to strongly advocate for these opportunities that are vital and fundamental to our local economy.” | # # # |
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