Zhang Guohua meets Cargill's Robert P. Aspell

Zhang Guohua, mayor of Nantong and vice-secretary of the Nantong Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met with a delegation headed by Robert P. Aspell, the CEO of Cargill Investment (China), in Jinshi Hotel on August 23. Qiang Qiang, director of Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area (NETDA) Administration Committee and deputy secretary of NETDA working committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), also attended the meeting. They exchanged ideas and thoughts on increasing Cargill’s investment in Nantong.

Cargill, one of the biggest grain suppliers in the world, is an international producer and marketer of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products. In September 2004, Cargill Grain and Oil (Nantong) Corporation was established with almost $204.5 million invested in its first three projects. Its registered capital was $73.2 million.

The delegation received a warm welcome from Zhang Guohua, who spoke highly of Cargill’s achievements in recent years. He also emphasized that enterprises and the government should work together to tackle new challenges during the difficult economic situation. It was the responsibility for government to support business in the fields of technological improvement, talent introduction and cost reduction. In regards to Cargill’s plans of growing investment and pushing forward the settlement of other supporting branches, the mayor expressed his enthusiasm, saying that the Nantong government would like to provide the best possible environment for investment.

Robert Aspell showed his great appreciation to the support and cooperation of the Nantong government. Backed by the government, the well-developed branch in Nantong has been an indispensable part of Cargill’s global business, said Mr. Aspell. He also praised the educated employees and their performance, Nantong’s unique geographic position, and the government’s efficient service. Cargill headquarters, he said, was preparing to make the whole area along the Yangtze River a crucial base. To date, additional registered capital of $42 million has been approved by headquarters, with plans to introduce global partners to build factories in Nantong. Aspell believed that with great effort from enterprise and government, the future of Cargill would be promising and the payback to Nantong’s society would be huge as well.