BEIJING, China — Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) designed to enhance the partnership between the State of Nevada and the People’s Republic of China. The aim of the MOU is to attract and promote trade and foreign investment, and to facilitate an even greater level of cooperation between the two entities.
The MOU outlines three goals:
• To encourage increased investment in Nevada from Chinese enterprises;
• To encourage Nevada entrepreneurs who wish to enter the Chinese market; and
• To forge solid business relationships between the two entities.
In addition to trade and investment, the agreement cites opportunities to enhance business development in the areas of exhibitions and conferences. In 2011, the China International Exhibition Center Group Corporation (CIEC), a subsidiary of CCPIT, established an office in Las Vegas, giving the company an on-site presence in the world’s leading meeting destination.
“We are proud of the strong and extensive relationship between the State of Nevada and the People’s Republic of China,” stated Brian Sandoval, Governor, State of Nevada. “The opportunities for mutual cooperation with China are tremendous. I applaud the leadership provided by Lt. Governor Krolicki and our partners at CCPIT in negotiating this MOU. I am also grateful for the long-time efforts of our dedicated team based in China – particularly Karen Chen, our state’s Chief Tourism Representative.”
Nevada has been a leader in developing business opportunities in China for more than a decade and was among the initial state governments to recognize the importance of the China market. In 2004, Nevada was the first state to be granted a license from the Chinese central government to open an official tourism office. Since that time, representatives from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) and the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) have built tourism and trade development programs that have attracted travelers and business developers to Nevada. This MOU was developed and facilitated through the Nevada Commission on Tourism’s China office.
“This is a historic time in the U.S.–China relationship,” cited Brian Krolicki, Lt. Governor, State of Nevada and the NCOT Chairman. “The newly announced breakthrough ten-year visa issuance for the citizens of our countries, as well as an enhanced international trade landscape and awareness of the Chinese business environment among Nevada companies, mean this agreement will create practical, dynamic and long-term opportunities. This agreement is truly a culmination of a decade of work by many individuals who have focused on developing this critical relationship.”
The MOU also encourages official visits between representative and related institutions including trade development offices, universities, tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, trade association and government agencies.
“We are pleased that the State of Nevada has taken a leadership role in developing a strong partnership with China, said Mr. Wang Jinzhen, Vice Chairman of CCPIT. An MOU signals an important commitment on the part of both Nevada and China.”
The MOU was signed Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014 at 10 a.m. at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Office in Beijing, China. The ceremony was officiated by Mr. Wang Jinzhen, Vice Chairman of CCPIT and Nevada Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki. The MOU is signed by Mr. Wang Jinzhen, Vice Chairman of CCPIT; Brian Sandoval, Governor, State of Nevada; Brian Krolicki, Lieutenant Governor, State of Nevada; and the Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Steven Hill.
SOURCE: Lt. Governor’s Office.
