Baltimore, MD -- A 30-member high level business and trade delegation organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Xiamen Branch visited Baltimore, Maryland on May 19 and 20. The Baltimore Development Corporation hosted a business matchmaking conference for the Chinese guests and 25 local business executives.

According to participants, the event provided an excellent venue for corporate CEOs from both countries to further explore opportunities for partnership and cooperation.

Both sides showed strong interest in the areas of air and maritime transportation, marine logistics, warehouse management, coal exports to China, business consulting, legal representation, cyber teaching, among others. Several Xiamen companies are also interested in establishing offices in Maryland to support their growing business in the U.S. Evidencing their strong interest in the China market a number of the U.S. companies provided the guests with their company brochures translated into Chinese.

After a lunch sponsored by the U.S. companies, the guests visited the “Top of the World” at Baltimore’s World Trade Center.

According to Mr. W. Fontaine Bell, Chairman of the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee, there is a vibrant and growing exchange of business and trade between the two cities. This includes delegations from Baltimore to Xiamen’s annual China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), which is held from September 8 through 11 every year and is the largest event in China combining trade and investment opportunities.

Situated on the southeast coast of China, Xiamen is a seaside city with a population exceeding 2 million. The Port of Xiamen ranks among China's top ten. The city also has a modern airport which is one of China's major aviation hubs.

In 1980, the Chinese Government designated Xiamen as one of its original four "Special Economic Zones" with liberal rules for foreign trade and investment. U.S. investors in Xiamen include GE, Kodak, Dell, Boeing, United Technologies, Coca-Cola and Wal Mart.

The Baltimore-Xiamen connection dates to November, 1985 when Baltimore’s then Mayor, William Donald Schaefer, led a delegation of 21 Baltimore civic leaders (government, business, education, cultural, etc.) to Xiamen and formally established a Sister City relationship.