Chinese biotech leaders visit Sigma-Aldrich, CORTEX
St. Louis Business Journal
March 29, 2010
by Kelsey Volkmann
A delegation of 40 Chinese biotech and government leaders are in town this week to explore business opportunities and visit companies in St. Louis.
On Friday, they planned to visit St. Louis' biotech research district, CORTEX, the Center for Emerging Technologies, life-science company Sigma-Aldrich and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
On Thursday night, they attended a dinner at the Missouri Botanical Garden hosted by pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. and Chairman, President and Chief Executive George Paz.
On Wednesday, they had lunch at the Cardinals game with Mayor Francis Slay in a private suite at Busch Stadium and then visited Washington University.
The visit is part of local leaders' larger strategy of commercializing their relationship with China and creating a trade hub. "It's about attracting capital and investment in St. Louis," said Mike Jones, chairman of the Midwest-China Hub Commission. "This shows progress."
The delegation plans to leave Saturday on their trip, which includes stops in San Francisco, the Research Triangle in Raleigh, N.C., and the Bio International Convention next week in Chicago.
A smaller Chinese delegation comprised of commerce ministers plans to visit St. Louis next month.
Last month, Jones and Slay went on a nine-day trip to China to court airlines and meet government and business leaders in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Haikou. Four Chinese airlines agreed to partner with the Midwest-China Hub Commission and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on a feasibility study to assess the potential for opening St. Louis-China freight routes.
