Aurora mayor sees trade opportunities in China

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner came away from a formal dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao convinced business partnerships between China and Chicago-area communities like his are both possible and desirable.

“It's just this mammoth opportunity in some ways to have China as a trading partner,” Weisner said Friday. “I think Hu Jintao was in Chicago partly because he recognized the Midwest is kind of the center in terms of both agricultural commodities and also heavy industry like Caterpillar and Boeing. He acknowledged the opportunity by coming to Chicago.”

Weisner was one of 300 guests invited to the dinner reception Thursday night. He said he felt honored to be among only a few suburban mayors in the crowd, which also included Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Gov. Pat Quinn, and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk.

Guests listened to an English translation of the Chinese president's speech on personal headsets.

“I think (his speech) was really about the future,” Weisner said. “The idea that our futures were linked, that we needed to work together on a continuing basis and that trade between the two countries was not only important for both countries but could be very advantageous to both countries.”

Weisner said a Chinese delegation visited the city in December to view sites for possible businesses in the research, development and manufacturing fields.

Weisner said he's interested in pursuing cultural and educational partnerships with cities in countries that include China, India, Mexico and Romania. Aurora currently does not have any “Sister Cities” in foreign nations.

“I think there's still room to establish those type of ties,” Weisner said.

Promoting the expansion of foreign language education in Aurora also is on Weisner's radar.

“I think it would be wise of any major city in the U.S. to take a look at the possibility of providing an opportunity for some of our children to learn Chinese,” he said. “Perhaps we should look at that.”