Chandler and China are major competitors when it comes to attracting high-dollar technology manufacturing firms like Intel, said Mayor Boyd Dunn.
Chandler and China are major competitors when it comes to attracting high-dollar technology manufacturing firms like Intel, said Mayor Boyd Dunn.
It's likely the reason he was invited to attend an international business forum next week in the northern Chinese city of Tangshan, east of Beijing, he said.
"I think it's our Intel connection that brought Chandler to their attention," Dunn said.
Dunn is slated to attend the Caofeidian Forum 2009 on Oct. 15-17 in the Caofeidian Bohai International Convention Center, along with several other U.S. mayors - including those of Las Vegas, Atlanta and Peoria - and representatives from the United Nations, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Forbes 500 companies. Dunn is taking along Patrice Kraus, Chandler's intergovernmental affairs coordinator. Conference organizers will pay all of their expenses.
Chandler incubator is good business
Chandler mayor plans business trip to China
Ex-Motorola site offers new opportunities
Intel tops list of largest Chandler employers
Earlier this year, Intel announced plans to invest $3 billion in microchip fabrication facilities in Chandler.
"We are always in competition with China when there is a new fabrication facility," Dunn said.
The conference is described as being about sustainable development, industrialization and technology. Dunn said it could be an opportunity to make contacts with high-tech businesses interested in investing in Chandler.
"We're just going to go over and see what develops," he said.
China frequently is the subject of international criticism about human rights abuses. Nevertheless, Dunn said he believes China can be influenced through economic engagement.
"It would be foolish not to take the Chinese very seriously when it comes to business development. It's a competing interest," he said. "You can either ignore China or you can do your best to have them join the Western countries in terms of economic development."
