Antioch Mayor, Other Leaders Visit China To Foster Investment, Tourism

Multiple city leaders from the Bay Area were in the Chinese city of Chongqing on Monday as part of a weeklong trip intended to foster investment, business and tourism exchanges between China and cities in Northern California.

The May 19-26 trip was organized by Palo Alto-based nonprofit China Silicon Valley, which was formed in 2012 to improve business cooperation, create jobs, increase economic activity, facilitate investment and international trade and promote communications between China and the Silicon Valley region.

This year marked the first return trip to China since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and included Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Oakley Mayor Anissa Williams, Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao, East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez, Morgan Hill Mayor Pro Tem Marilyn Librers, San Carlos Mayor John Dugan, and Victor Wang, founder and chairman of China Silicon Valley.

Hernandez-Thorpe shared that he was eager to promote Antioch’s economic strengths and potential for job expansion and strategic trade.

“I know for sure that Antioch will be following up, because we talked about the deep-water ports in Antioch,” he said, referring to the port off Wilbur Avenue that recently welcomed its first shipment of cars from China.

Hernandez-Thorpe said the group met with government officials in Hong Kong on their first day, along with leaders from Invest Hong Kong, the government department responsible for foreign direct investment, and the privately funded China-United States Exchange Foundation, which aims to encourage constructive dialogue between the people of China and the U.S.

With Antioch ramping up to break ground on two warehousing facilities, Hernandez-Thorpe expressed a particular interest in Invest Hong Kong, whose leaders he said were interested in developing businesses in the west with a focus on fashion and advanced manufacturing industries.

In the days ahead, the group will focus on cultural exchange and economic growth opportunities, Hernandez-Thorpe said.

“We’re not the same city we were four or five years ago,” continued Hernandez-Thorpe. “Having our deep-water ports and actually utilizing them puts us in a different category.”

Mayor Williams said that Oakley is a young community but it’s rapidly growing.

“I see this trip as an opportunity to extend relationships with a world economy that is focused on technology and an increasing foothold in the green/sustainable space,” she said Monday. “Through these connections, my hope is to bring a wealth of jobs to not only our city but our region as a whole.”