China Coming to Chester County

A delegation of 25 business people from the Chongqing region of China and from Beijing, will be visiting Chester County for three days beginning Monday, October 28 as part of a Sino-American Regional Business and Culture Exchange.

The Chester County Commissioners, together with the Chester County Economic Development Council and the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry are hosting the Summit. Chester County-based ABD International and the Main Line Chinese Culture Center (MLCCC) initiated the connection between Chester County and Chongqing and other regions in China.

Business and Industry is the theme of the first day of the visit, and begins with a welcome by Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell at the Economic Development Council.  A representative from the Chinese delegation will also speak. Mike Grigalonis, Chief Operating Officer of the Economic Development Council will give an overview of council operations before lunch. The delegation will visit QVC before touring West Chester. QVC recently launched a channel in China.

Education and manufacturing will be the subjects of Tuesday’s events. Westtown School and West Chester University will be visited in the morning and the includes presentations on the LifeScience Industry by the Pennsylvania Biotech Association, business in the Southern Pennsylvania Region by Jeannie Nevelos of Select Greater Philadelphia, and international business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by David Briel of the State Office of International Business Development.

Agriculture and tourism are the subjects of the final day of the tour. A visit to Pietro Mushrooms and the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center will be followed by lunch, hosted by Lincoln University, and overview of the agriculture industry.  The delegation will then tour Longwood Gardens.  The three-day summit culminates in the Chester County International Business Council dinner at Longwood Gardens, where the Chinese delegates will have the opportunity to network with business leaders from across Chester County.