Monday, Jul. 13, 2009

Coble pitches city in China

Mayor hopes to gain business partners

Columbia Mayor Bob Coble is in China this week schmoozing with business leaders in the world’s fastest growing economy to entice them to spend their money in the Midlands.

Coble’s expenses are being paid by the U.S. China Exchange Association, a nonprofit organization based in New Jersey.

Today, Coble is scheduled to give a speech in Shanghai that will recap Columbia’s efforts to encourage environmentally friendly businesses and include a pitch for Chinese businesses to relocate to USC’s Innovista research campus.

“China has tremendous air quality issues. They’re spending a lot of money on alternate energy, and we think that’s an area for partnership,” Coble said. “Our technology at the University of South Carolina for alternate energy is something they need to be aware of.”

South Carolina has been wooing Chinese businesses for years, becoming the only state to have an office in China officially recognized by the Chinese government, said Jack Ellenberg, deputy secretary for new investment with the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“We’re a very global state,” Ellenberg said. “South Carolina leads the nation in the percentage of work force employed by companies headquartered abroad.”

Coble will mention in his speech that Columbia is a UPS regional cargo hub and that the city is 90 minutes away from the Port of Charleston, where Coble said Chinese exports entering South Carolina totaled $1.9 billion in 2008.

China is South Carolina’s fifth-largest trading partner. Germany is the state’s largest trading partner, followed by Canada.

Coble will be in China through July 21, missing Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Kirkman Finlay will preside in his absence.

Reach Beam at (803) 771-8405.

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