Liverpool City Council plans to investigate the possibility of establishing a Sister City relationship with Hangzhou to help position Liverpool as the destination of choice to attract business and investment in South Western Sydney.
“One means for Liverpool to tap into this growing trade relationship is to establish a sister city relationship with a dynamic Chinese city [such as Hangzou].” said Clr Gus Balloot, in a council report.
Council approved a private visit by Clr Balloot to the eighth APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Technology Conference, and provided him with Chinese-language promotional material on Liverpool.
Former acting CEO, Ray Noble, said: “There is no doubt that Asian markets such as China provide good prospects to attract trade and investment to locations such as Liverpool.”
Penrith Mayor Ross Fowler has returned from leading a business delegation to China and Korea with the aim of providing long-term benefits to the local economy.
“I am greatly pleased with the business outcomes from the visit and can foresee real long term benefits from the heightened interest from both sides to strengthen our business relations, Clr Fowler said.
“More importantly there appears to be a genuine interest in China for a number of development proposals we presented to them, including the proposed Sydney Science Park proposal from the Baiaida Group to be developed in Luddenham.”
Parramatta Lord Mayor. John Chedid, after attending the World Cities Summit in Singapore, joined a trade and investment delegation to China and Taiwan at the invitation of the Western Sydney Chinese Business Chamber, inspecting infrastructure projects and major urban developments.
“The summit and delegation were a great opportunity to strengthen contacts with Asian business leaders, seek investment opportunities for Parramatta and learn more about vital infrastructure such as light rail,” said Clr Chedid, who met with investors in several Chinese cities.
“We need new investment to continue our development boom which will see $8 billion worth of residential and commercial projects built in our CBD in coming years.”
