Indiana will host a delegation of Chinese officials from the country’s ministry of commerce. The group will make stops in Indianapolis, Columbus, French Lick and the Lafayette area.
Purdue and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation are sponsoring the trip. Mark Van Fleet is the university’s executive director of global business engagement. He says Chinese executives often ask the officials making the trip to recommend good places for them to set up shop in the United States.
"Increasingly, the Chinese government is encouraging companies to invest around the world, including in the United States. These commerce officials are very influential in China.”
Van Fleet says they will spend July 29-30 in Greater Lafayette. They’re scheduled to meet Purdue officials and tour the Research Park, Discovery Park and the Nanshan aluminum plant under construction in Lafayette.
He says this is a great opportunity and the real question is what to do as a follow-up to the visit.
"What do we do afterwards? What do we pursue? What other delegations can come here?"
Officials will visit New York City and Silicon Valley as part of the trip too.