County leaders bond with consul general, Fuyao execs over First Four and festivities
Hosting the First Four is a source of great pride for Montgomery County. It comes with a $5 million economic impact for business, along with putting our area in the national spotlight as the first step on the road to the Final Four.
This year, the Montgomery County Commissioners showcased the games and Big Hoopla activities to share fellowship with some tremendous partners in economic development. They welcomed Consul General Huang Ping of the Peoples Republic of China, along with representatives from Fuyao Glass America.
“I was often overwhelmed by their hospitality,” Consul General Ping said. “Chinese and Americans have so much in common. They are friendly, kind and sincere, and working hard for a better life and a better world.”
Fuyao Glass America initially invested $600 million in the former General Motors Assembly plant in Moraine. It now employs 2,000 people, and in November Fuyao announced an expansion that is expected to bring another 500 jobs to our county. The auto glass supplier’s total investment in Montgomery County is expected to reach $1 billion by 2024.
“Chinese companies have tremendous economic impact on Montgomery County and our entire region,” said Montgomery County Commission President Debbie Lieberman. “We’ve seen a great resurgence of manufacturing and related jobs in the last few years, and Chinese investment is a huge part of that. We are fortunate to have some great relationships with Chinese corporations. This is something we want to build upon.”
Another Chinese manufacturer, Semcorp, recently announced plans to bring 1,200 jobs to Sidney with a $900 million lithium-ion battery plant. Additionally, Intel is investing $20 billion in a semiconductor plant in Licking County near Columbus. It has been called the largest economic development project in Ohio history.
“A couple of months ago, we were attending a conference in New York, where Huang Ping is based,” said County Administrator Michael Colbert. “We realized that we both had a love for basketball and I invited the ambassador and his consulate team to come and enjoy the First Four with us.”
“There is no denying the importance of Chinese business for Montgomery County, so we are doing what we always do … fostering stronger relationships,” Colbert said. “There are obviously some tensions with China on a national level. We have chosen to come together and build on common ground.”
Fuyao hosted the consul general and county leaders for a special welcome lunch for the Chinese visitors. Then they went to the Big Hoopla event at Carillon Park before hitting the first two games of the tournament.
“As Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang recently said, I’m convinced that the China-US relationship should be determined by the common interests and shared responsibilities of the two countries and by the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples,” Ping added. “A reopening China will welcome more American friends to visit.”
“My trip in Ohio was filled with friendship and cooperation,” Ping said. “I talked to the business community and was encouraged by their confidence in the Chinese market as well as their strong desire for continued cooperation. Chinese companies like Fuyao Glass have made great contribution to local economic and social developments in Dayton and Ohio, a telling example of the win-win nature of our business cooperation.”