US

Chicago Mayor will promote his 'Windy' sister city in Shanghai

By Chen Weihua (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-13 08:24

NEW YORK - Richard M. Daley, Chicago's mayor since 1989, announced last week that he would not seek a seventh term next year.

Nonetheless, the tireless Democrat remains deeply committed to a campaign to promote his city as a premier global business and tourist destination during the remaining seven months of his tenure.

With this in mind, Daley and a group of Chicago's business and cultural elite will travel to Shanghai and South Korean cities of Busan and Seoul from Sept 18 to 24.

"In these tough economic times we need to be doing everything we can to make sure our city is competitive globally and we are attracting business and tourism which will help boost our local economy," he said of the biggest urban metropolis in the mid-western US, one also known as the "Windy City".

Meanwhile, in China's biggest city, Daley will meet Mayor Han Zheng to discuss on-going partnerships in education and economic development. He will also meet CEOs from Chinese companies and speak at a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Daley, 68, will also launch "Chicago Days" in Shanghai, as Chicago has been a sister city for 25 years. To this end, the Shanghai Expo will feature activities that will showcase Chicago's music, art, food and sports - including performance by soul, gospel and blues singer Otis Clay as well as the Hip Hop ChicaGO troupe comprising of the city's most revered hip-hop artists.

Famed Chicago chef Art Smith will be also featured at Chicago Days, and will offer a unique menu at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai. A sculpture, known as "Family" and created by Chicago-based artist Virginio Ferrari, meanwhile, will also be highlighted.

"I will be there not just to promote tourism, but to bring the business community, hospitality and food industry," Chicago's mayor told China Daily. "We want to portray what Chicago and Illinois are all about"

A number of CEOs from Chicago-based companies including Boeing, American Airlines, Deloitte and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, are expected to join Daley for his swing through East Asia .

China is also the largest trade partner of the Chicago Customs District. Last year, the Chicago Customs District had $28.6 billion imports from China and $2.8 billion exports to China.

About 300 Chicago-area companies now enjoy a presence in China, including Motorola, Wrigley and Boeing. Meanwhile, about 30 Chinese mainland companies - such as Huawei and Wanxiang - are operating in the greater Chicago area.

Daley said he has built a strong relationship with Chinese mayors. "We don't just sit there and present gifts to one another. We share our best practices. What works and what does not work," said Daley, who has already made three trips to China, the last one to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Apart from Shanghai, Shenyang in northeast China is also a sister city of Chicago.

Daley is proud of the city's bonds with China. The Chicago Public Schools teach Mandarin to 12,000 students, for example.

"We are the largest city teaching Mandarin in our public schools, and we just opened another public school where all the first graders are learning Chinese," he said.

On the other hand, about 4,100 Chinese students are attending Illinois universities, according to figures provided by Daley's office.

By the end of this December, Daley will surpass his late father, Richard J. Daley, to become the longest-serving mayor of Chicago. The father and son have led Chicago for 42 of the last 55 years.

Both iconic mayors have been credited for rebuilding the city: While his father also won praise for rebuilding a city that was falling into disrepair in a post-World War II slump, the younger Daley transformed the landscape of downtown Chicago, from a manufacturing-based economy into a service-oriented and globally connected city.

Recently, Daley has also been renowned for revamping the public school system.

Daley has said he won't endorse anyone to succeed him and that it's up to the people of Chicago to decide. However, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had earlier expressed his strong interest to run if Delay retires.

Emanuel helped Daley - who has longstanding ties with Barack Obama - in his first successful run in 1989.

China Daily