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Manchester City Council

CAPABILITY STATEMENT

• General
• Key Achievements
• Future
• Contact Information

General

Manchester City Council first recognised the importance of China some 15 years ago and established a city to city friendship link with Wuhan in October 1986. The link was supported by the Local Chinese Community in Manchester and the City Council continues to believe Wuhan to be of strategic importance as it is geographically well placed in central China as well as having many similarities with Manchester.

A deep relationship is now in place and a great deal of trust exists, strengthened each year by an exchange programme covering trade, sport, education, legal, and other business initiatives.

In recent years the activities have increasingly focussed on economic matters. The City Council has an official representative based in Wuhan and a representative from Wuhan Government based in the City Council offices. Over the last few years a distinct pattern has emerged with an annual trade mission to China being led by the City Council. These have been sector specific, and have concentrated on Sport, and Technology, and the results of the many years of commitment and exchanges is now beginning to show results.

Examples of business cooperation includes support for the following companies :

• Ove Arup Consulting Engineers.
• Maester Instruments (previously Alpha Electronics)
• Global Sports International
• Pama. Telecommunications Co.

In support of the City Councils Corporate objectives, - Increasing Investment, raising the International profile of the City, and promoting the city as a finance and business centre, clear Political support has been given to the relationship with Wuhan and with China. In 1997 Councillor Kath Robinson the Deputy Leader, was asked to give a presentation to a United Nations Conference in Lyon, using the Manchester/Wuhan relationship as a case study of good practice on the subject "Partners in Development"

Staffing and financial resources have varied over time. Current staffing resources to support the Council’s International activity includes the support of the Head of Economic Initiatives Group. There are four staff employed full time on International work including support for administration and finance, and a full time representative of the Wuhan City Government. This representative is supported by the British Council Bond Scheme.

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Key Achievements

Some of the key achievements include, the management of a significant North West Regional project for the North West. This project China Gateway N.W. focused financial, organisational, and personnel resources on the development of stronger links with the P.R.of China.

The City Council is currently managing an International ERDF project.

The International Trade and Commonwealth Benefits project which has targeted key Commonwealth countries and China for trade and investment.

Establishing Representative Offices in Manchester and in Wuhan, which enables local expertise to assist the business community and to work with Government departments and agencies.

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Future

There is now the potential to achieve a more integrated strategy to deliver increased trade between China and the North-West region. Towards this end the City Council is supporting the establishment of a Local Trade Partnership in Manchester with Chamber Business Enterprises, Midas, and other key interests, and intends to promote International trade with China within the City Pride partnership area, in line with a well defined work programme and track record of delivery. The City Council’s contribution consists of mainly strategic matters:

• Working in close liaison with a range of representative agencies including the British Embassy and Consulate offices in China in Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wuhan.

• Its drive to achieve the economic regeneration of the City and its commitment to work in partnership with key communities, including the local Chinese community, to achieve this.

• Its long standing tradition of welcoming incoming people of all races and creeds, commitment to their integration into the economic and social life of the city and recognition of the benefits that are brought by new communities

• Providing support, and the provision of services such as Education, Sport, the Environment, and Culture, all of which are useful in assisting the development of relationships and the promotion of trade with the People’s Republic of China.

The involvement of different skill and interest groups has made this possible, but above all the direct, intimate involvement of the Chinese Community and the Chinese Consulate offices in Manchester, representing nine counties in England, has meant that we have been capable of dealing with all the complexities of Chinese social, economic and political environments throughout this period.

We wish to contribute to the creation of an innovative and effective trading infrastructure involving the Public/Private sector in the North West Region, which will deal specifically with the People’s Republic of China. It is hoped that this will facilitate Trade & Commerce, as well as promoting Inward Investment, with the specific aim of maintaining, creating and securing jobs from this economic activity in the North-west region. This trade promotion activity should relate to other activities which may relate to trade promotion including sporting, cultural, and education links.

The City Council seeks the support of Trade Partners UK to realise this objective.

February 2001

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Contact Information

     Ian Brown     0161 234 1503

     Vincent Guo    0161 234 1519

For further information about Manchester City Council,
please visit MCC's website at:
www.manchester.gov.uk