Shaanxi businesses eye expanded US trade ties

There, products, art and food from Shaanxi were on full display to the public.

Shaanxi, famous as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, is also known for its biang biang noodles, roujiamo (a Chinese burger), music and dance from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the terra cotta army exhibitions.

The Northwest China province was lauded by Ambassador Xie Feng as embodying the enduring continuity of Chinese civilization and is widely seen as an essential place for understanding China's long history.

The province is also playing a role in strengthening China-US friendship, as Shaanxi and its cities have established 13 sister-city relationships with US counterparts, according to Xie.

Man-Li Kuo Lin, economic development specialist at the US Small Business Administration New York District Office, spoke about several initiatives to help small businesses.

These include ways to increase access to capital, loans and public and private investment opportunities.

She told China Daily: "I think it's important for [Chinese businesses] to have at least an office in the US. It doesn't have to be New York, but in the US. They have to understand the regulations here and also connect to the locals. They can contact us or the Chamber of Commerce here to help."

Later, there was a signing ceremony and further talks by industry professionals.

Jeffrey Jones, chairman of the Council for Trade and Investment Promotion (CTIP) based in New Jersey and a former mayor of Paterson, works for an organization that aims to enhance business opportunities for overseas investors.

Jones said it was crucial for events like the conference to take place to bring American and Chinese professionals together.

Jones told China Daily: "If, economically, we need families working, we need businesses growing, we need new technologies to move the world forward. And if we don't have these kinds of events, none of that happens."

Jones added: "At CTIP, we believe that everything is about local to global. And so, depending on what part of the world you're in, you're local, and where you want to go is global. And we just keep moving that around. We understand. Change happens if we decide to change first."

Daniel Mabey, Asia region president and director of strategic markets for the United Natural Products Alliance, said his company is streamlining operations to help overseas clients access the US market and its manufacturers.

Mabey told China Daily: "To have this type of matchmaking conference is important because the industry has to have dialogue to kind of converge on compliance and standards and trade, because a lot of the supply chain in the dietary supplement industry is not transparent."

Several of the companies from Shaanxi at the US conference expressed their deep desire to expand overseas.

David Zhang, chairman of Chongqing Joywin Natural Products, told China Daily: "Events like this bring all these professional US and Chinese together, that makes a stronger bond. We need to get to know each other and communicate. That way we can help each other grow."

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com