Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

A DELEGATION headed by James Darling, mayor of McAllen, Texas, is seeking business ties with Shenzhen enterprises that are interested in investing in its free trade zone at the U.S.-Mexico border.

At McAllen Free Trade Zone Investment Seminar on Thursday, Darling told more than 100 representatives from local enterprises that McAllen, as a thriving community with an international retail landscape, provides a direct connection between U.S. and international markets.

“The city’s strategic investment in infrastructure for existing and emerging industries, young, bilingual and educated workforce, and competitive land prices compared to other regions in the U.S., will support business and entrepreneurial initiatives for domestic and international markets,” said Darling.

According to Darling, 27.8 percent of McAllen’s general population holds bachelor’s degrees or higher. Much of McAllen’s workforce has received formal education at one of the local colleges or universities and have careers in business, health care, retail or the food service industries.

During the seminar, the delegation members introduced the policies and incentives in the free trade zone, strategies to avoid additional Section 301 duties, and its plans for investment, factories, taxation, subsidies and training programs for enterprises setting up businesses in the free trade zone.

The seminar was jointly held by the Shenzhen Sub-council for China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) under the U.S.-China Commercial Matchmaking Program (CMP) signed by CCPIT and the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2005.

In the past six months, the CMP office in Shenzhen has organized the Seattle Hi-tech Enterprises Matchmaking Seminar, China-U.S. Trade and Investment Conference, China-U.S. International Culture and Tourism Summit, and Sacramento Business Briefing, according to Tang Jin, deputy director with CCPIT Shenzhen.