CHINESE SISTER CITY DELEGATION VISITS CAPE

John Mehner and Ma Zhong speak the same language when it comes to economic development.

Zhong, secretary-general of Shaoxing, China, visited Cape Girardeau Wednesday and Thursday as part of a four-member delegation of officials from Cape's new sister city.

Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, and other local economic development officials toured area industries with the Chinese delegation Wednesday and Thursday. The delegation visited the Southeast Missouri Regional Port on Wednesday.

Ma Zhong said the delegation was exploring the possibility of joint ventures between Chinese and Cape Girardeau area businesses.

"We're deeply impressed by the city of Cape Girardeau," he said Thursday, speaking through an interpreter at an early morning press conference at the Holiday Inn.

Xie Xin Quan, another member of the delegation and director of Shaoxing's planning commission, said he was "pleased and glad" to hear that President Clinton had decided to extend most-favored nation trade privileges to China once again.

Quan said such a move would strengthen trading ties between the two nations.

Brad Keith, trade specialist with the Missouri Department of Economic Development, agreed.

"The highest growth market is certainly in China," he said. "They have cities that are the size of three or four states."

Keith said, "China is Missouri's 14th largest trading partner." The state's exports to that Asian nation total $50 to $75 million annually.

Mehner and Mitch Robinson, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association, said the prospects for trade with China are enormous.

"This could open the door to China," said Mehner, who said the Chinese officials were interested particularly in construction equipment.

Robinson said the sister-city relationship should help open doors for economic ventures in both cities.

Robinson and several other local leaders returned home Monday from a trip to Cape's sister city.

The prospects for business are almost unlimited in a nation of 1.6 billion people, he said.

The city of Shaoxing in South China has about 4 million people.

Robinson said the city is a major commercial center. "It's called the Venice of China because of the canal system they have," he noted.

"Construction is going on everywhere," he said, involving everything from streets to sewers.

Peter Choi, who operates a Chinese restaurant in Cape Girardeau and is from Shaoxing, helped set up the sister-city program.

Choi said there are already some economic projects being talked about.

"We are discussing opening a manufacturing plant (in Cape) that makes soy bean products," he said. Shaoxing officials are also looking at establishing a trade office here.

Choi said Cape Girardeau area business leaders are looking at potential markets for their products in China.

Last month, Choi opened a ginseng company in China. He has 60 percent ownership, while Chinese interests own 40 percent.

The Chinese delegation was scheduled to leave Cape Girardeau Thursday and travel to Wisconsin, where Choi has a ginseng business.