ATLANTA - Day after day, Gwinnett welcomes China to Georgia.

Gwinnett County's (Metro Atlanta) focus on global business stems from its collective economic and community development initiative, Partnership Gwinnett, led by the Gwinnett Chamber. Supported by more than 160 public and private partners, this initiative advocates local global business strategy as well as the identification and support of regional and statewide global initiatives.

Since 2007, Partnership Gwinnett and Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development have conducted almost a dozen global business missions to China. The trips have consistently sought opportunities for global expansion and foreign direct investment; delegations have presented to business professionals and conducted business-to-business meetings to cement contacts with key Chinese investors.

Initial connections made on these trips spur future growth and development. This has been most evident in resulting international expansions to Gwinnett County and Metro Atlanta by Hisense Corp and Self Electronics Corp.

Hisense, the largest manufacturer and distributor of electronics in China, hosted Gwinnett's delegation atop its headquarters' facility in Qingdao and announced at the dinner its intent to establish and expand a research and development (R&D) component to the company's already solid North American headquarter presence in Gwinnett County. The R&D expansion, now complete, covers an additional 7,000 square feet of real estate and is expected to deliver more high-wage jobs to the region with a promise for continued and rapid growth in the future.

Self Electronics, a specialized supplier of optoelectronics, is a branch of Self Electronics headquarters in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Locally, it houses sales and marketing services, technical services and warehouse facilities in a 7,500 square foot building. Self Electronics has been rated among the biggest exporters and manufacturers in the Chinese lighting industry, offering a wide range of optoelectronic products such as a full series of LED lamps, LED displays, LED dot matrixes, LED clusters and more.

With a strong R&D department and production capability, the company has produced many custom-designed, high-quality products that are favored by clients both at home and in the US. Plans include the establishment of stable sales channels within the US market. Contacts have been made with Home Depot and Lowe's and its products are already in use in stores such as Ikea and Lord and Taylor.

The continued growth and expansion of existing Chinese industry prompted Gwinnett's Chamber of Economic Development to open its first international office in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, in 2010. The office serves as a launching pad for Gwinnett businesses expanding into the Chinese market and is symbolic of Gwinnett's commitment to strong global business relations with China and the city of Wuxi.

Gwinnett's goal as an organization is to successfully bring business opportunities to Gwinnett County by opening the door to new global business opportunities. Getting local business leaders connected to international trade and global business expansion is the first step.

The author is vice-president of Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett, Gwinnett Chamber.

China Daily