New Westminster, BC – A delegation of City Council members, senior city staff and local business people will embark on a 12-day mission to China in June to strengthen sister city relations and promote new business opportunities for local companies in Asia while attracting investment to New Westminster. The mission is being funded from a portion of a $50,000 grant by the Province of British Columbia to support local twinning initiatives with Asian city counterparts.

“The Province has presented New Westminster with a tremendous opportunity to solidify our existing relationships with cities in China, develop new ones and promote our City to one of the world’s largest economies,” said Mayor Wayne Wright. “I’m proud to head a delegation of New Westminster Councillors, staff and local business people and tell our counterparts in China firsthand what a fantastic course our city is on.”

The delegation will depart New Westminster on June 8 and return June 19. The 12-day mission will begin with business networking activities at the BC Canada Pavilion in Beijing. From Beijing, the delegation will travel to Shanghai, Zhenjiang, Lijiang (New Westminster’s sister-city), Kunming and back to Beijing prior to returning to New Westminster. In addition to business networking activities, the delegation will attend a ceremony in Zhenjiang, formalizing a new “friendship” status between New Westminster and that city.

New Westminster’s delegation will be led by Mayor Wayne Wright and include the following individuals:

• Councillor Cal Donnelly, Tourism New Westminster Board Member
• Councillor Lorrie Williams (representing local education initiatives)
• Paul Daminato, Chief Administrative Officer, New Westminster
• Rick Page, Corporate Officer, New Westminster & Chair, Celebrations Task Force
• Mitchell Edgar, Manager of Economic Development, New Westminster
• Tony Tennessy, Advisory Board Member, egX Group
• Debra Blasco, Director of Education, West Coast College of Massage Therapy
• Don Reda, Culinary Instructor and businessperson
• Eric Pattison, Principal, Eric Pattison Architect
• Tej Kainth, Marketing Coordinator, Tourism New Westminster

“As a dynamic, vibrant and growing city at the centre of the lower mainland and at the door of North America’s Pacific Gateway, New Westminster is well-poised to attract investment from abroad while securing new opportunities in China for local businesses,” said Mayor Wright. “Our city has a proven track record of fostering positive relationships with cities across Asia and will continue to take advantage of opportunities to showcase what our city has to offer whenever we can.”