CHINESE DELEGATION IMPRESSED BY MANDURAH

In conjunction with the Peel Development Commission, the Shire of Murray and the Peel Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the City of Mandurah hosted an official welcome to the city starting with an hour-long estuary cruise followed by a cultural information exchange and official gift exchange.

Mayor Paddi Creevey said the delegation was genuinely impressed by Mandurah and its waterways even though Zhoushan is China’s largest archipelago covering 22,000 square kilometres with 1339 islands including the 502km² Zhoushan Island which is slightly larger than Hong Kong.

“The delegation was keen to learn more about Mandurah and the Peel Region and said they looked forward to friendly cooperation in the future before showing us a video presentation of Zhoushan City and region,” Mayor Creevey said.

“We found out we have much in common especially in terms of tourism and boating, although on a much smaller scale, as more than 10 million tourists visit Zhoushan a year.  The delegation was also impressed with the mineral wealth of the Peel Region and the investment potential of Mandurah.”

Leading the delegation was Zhoushan Municipality’s Deputy Mayor Wang Zhongzhi, who was accompanied by the municipality’s Director Putuo District Tourism Bureau Li Junwei, the Deputy Director Finance Bureau Zhu Qunli, the Director Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Yu Shubo, and the Deputy Chief Putuo District Government Fang Wei.

Mayor Creevey said it was important to establish and further consolidate cultural relationships with visiting delegations to gain a better understanding and awareness of other countries and their cultures.

“Although language could have been a barrier, the meeting was a rich exchange of information that was filtered very successfully through our interpreter Edward Chin and the delegation’s interpreter,” she said.

Maree de Lacey, the CEO of the Peel Development Commission, gave a 10-minute presentation about the Peel Region highlighting the region’s natural resources of gold, bauxite, mineral sands, coal, graphite and the burgeoning wine and dairy industries, as well as retail growth and tourism.

Ms de Lacey emphasised the Peel Region’s strong economy which offered many opportunities for investment in business, both small and large.

Mandurah’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Allan Claydon also gave a presentation about Mandurah highlighting the City’s growth, its proximity from Perth and its relaxed lifestyle.

Following the meeting, a gift exchange took place with the Zhoushan delegation presenting the City with a beautiful painting that will be hung in a prominent spot within the Civic Centre.

Mayor Creevey and Mandurah Councillors Bruce Blay, Darren Lee, Lynn Rodgers and Syd Wilson also presented each member of the delegation with gifts of local produce.

• Attending the meeting were:
   
  John Cowdell, Chairman Peel Development Commission (PDC) and Maree de Lacey, Chief Executive  Officer PDC
• Acting Chief Executive Officer Allan Claydon, Director Sustainable Planning Tony Free, Acting Director Works and Services Grahame Heal, and other City officers
• John Matthew, President Peel Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCI), Nigel Haines, Vice President Peel CCI, and Delys Gebert, Manager Peel CCI
• Noel Nancarrow, President Shire of Murray and Peter Black, Acting Chief Executive Officer Shire of Murray.

RELEASE ENDS

14 October 2008