Chinese officials visit the Greater Lafayette area

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - For the last two days, the Greater Lafayette area has welcomed 19 Chinese government officials to town.
    
After touring Lafayette and West Lafayette, Purdue's campus wasn't the only thing about the Greater Lafayette area 19 representatives from China's Ministry of Commerce were impressed with. They were also impressed with the success of Nanshan American Advanced Aluminum Technology.

"They heard from the President of Nanshan America, who is a Purdue graduate, about why he chose Indiana and I think that had a great impact on them," said Mark Van Fleet, Purdue University’s Executive Director of Global Business Engagement.

Van Fleet helped bring the delegation to town. He said the group is traveling across America to conduct a study mission. He said Chinese business leaders and manufacturers come to these members of the delegation to learn where they should invest and expand in America.

Van Fleet said the group will also be visiting New York City and California's Silicon Valley. However, he's confident in the Hoosier State.

"They will write a report back to the National Ministry of Commerce about their impressions of all these three places and Indiana, I think, is going to be hitting a home run," said Van Fleet.

And the Chinese leader of the delegation agrees. Hua Yan said the people in the Greater Lafayette area have been nothing but nice and welcoming. She said she will take what she's learned about the community to business leaders back home.

Lafayette and and West Lafayette Mayors Tony Roswarski and John Dennis met with the group Monday evening for a community outreach dinner.

Van Fleet thinks this kind of hospitality will help the Greater Lafayette area. He said it may be harder for bigger cities to give that kind of attention to the delegation.

Van Fleet said this is the first time Indiana's been placed on the agenda for this kind of delegation. Normally, they stick to the coasts, with sometimes a visit to the Chicago area.