SF Mayor London Breed aims to open Chinese university satellite campus downtown
By Carl Samson
San Francisco Mayor London Breed is headed to China to present plans aimed at drawing investments into the city, including setting up a satellite campus of a Chinese public university.
Key points:
- Breed will meet with Chinese businesses, airlines and local government leaders during her trip, which will run for a week.
- The agenda reportedly includes discussions on a potential expansion of Fudan University into downtown San Francisco.
- There will also be talks on acquiring pandas for the city to boost its cultural and diplomatic ties with China.
The details:
- Breed, along with a delegation of local AAPI business and community leaders, will visit China beginning on Saturday with a goal to attract investments and boost tourism in San Francisco. The trip comes as an effort to aid the city’s recovery from economic losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A key agenda item is the potential expansion of Fudan University, a Shanghai-based research institution, into downtown San Francisco. The university has reportedly expressed “interest in potentially looking at a site in San Francisco for a campus.”
- An expansion is expected to attract more international students and revitalize the local business environment, stimulating economic growth.
- The mayor will also advocate for increased direct flights between China and San Francisco. Chinese tourists were previously a leading source of visitor spending in the city.
- In addition to economic goals, Breed will discuss acquiring pandas for the San Francisco Zoo. She reportedly received a personal invitation to discuss the matter from Chinese diplomat Liu Jianchao, who expressed hopes for the city to “host giant pandas at an early date.”
- Breed’s itinerary includes meetings with Chinese businesses, airlines and local government leaders, with stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Notable meetings include those with electronics company CVTE, major airlines Air China and Hainan Airlines, and U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns.
- The trip, funded by the San Francisco Special Events Committee, also serves to highlight the 45th anniversary of San Francisco’s sister city relationship with Shanghai.
- Breed is scheduled to return on April 21.
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