Chinese firm to open first U.S. office in Salt Lake City

Chinese conglomerate Jiangsu Easthigh International Group announced Thursday it is opening its first U.S. office in Salt Lake City, which could increase opportunities for Utah companies that want to export to the world’s most populous country.

By Lesley Mitchell
The Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Mar/03122004/business/business.asp

Jiangsu will focus on fostering business opportunities and trade between China and the United States, said Ding Kang Fu, general manager, who plans to move from China to Salt Lake City and open an office with at least two full-time employees.

The office could easily have been located in larger cities such as Los Angeles or New York, said Tina Stahlke Lewis, director of International Business Development for Utah.

"For it to be located here is significant," Lewis said.

"Doing business in China depends so much on personal connections. Before, we had to bring Utah companies to China to try to foster some of those relationships."

Another plus, Lewis said, is the scope of the company, which is involved in numerous lines of business, including retail development and consulting services.

Fu said the decision to open the company’s office in Salt Lake City stems from the strong impression Utah made on company executives during the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Lewis said the state will continue to host trade missions to China and now has one more tool to help Utah companies succeed in a country traditionally considered a difficult export market for American companies.

Utah’s top export destination is Switzerland, which purchased about $1.1 billion from Utah last year. China is the state’s sixth-largest export market, importing about $116.9 million worth of products in 2003.

A trade mission to China’s two most prominent cities, Beijing and Shanghai, is scheduled for April 19-29 in hopes of increasing exports by Utah companies.

Although that mission is open to all Utah companies eager to do business in China, the state is focusing on firms in the environmental and biomedical industries.

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