After trip to twin city Hangzhou, Leeds' former lord major says Leeds and china can work well as a team

Thomas Murray, the former Lord Mayor of Leeds, says he was amazed by China when he visited there for the first time in January.

Touring Hangzhou and Beijing, he says his first impression was the sheer size.

"It was overwhelmingly big; it looked very busy; there was lots of development going on; it looked prosperous, and doing well," says Murray, who has just completed his one-year term as Lord Mayor, a busy ceremonial post held by a member of Leeds City Council.

His visit was as part of a business delegation to China organized by Leeds and Partners, the city's promotional agency, at a time when companies from the Yorkshire city continue to be encouraged to do business with large and familiar cities in China, including Hangzhou, the city's twin.

"In Hangzhou, you land at the airport and get a taxi down to the hotel by the lakes in 40 minutes but right away you are traveling through an urban environment," he says.

"In Leeds you're traveling through lots of countryside first, then you hit the city."

A highlight of Murray's visit to Hangzhou was his visit to the head office of Alibaba, China's biggest, and the world's fastest-growing, online commerce company.

"It was really impressive and clearly highly successful."

Despite having only visited China once, Murray says he is familiar with the country and its people, because of the rapid growth of the Chinese community in Leeds.

Many Chinese firms go there to study, and then stay on to work and live.

"I have met many Chinese students, and they seem to enjoy learning and living here. Some will stay, and we would like more to do that, because they are so well educated and show great promise," Murray says.

However, Murray says Leeds should do more to help its Chinese population, not only to find a home in the city, but also open a business there.

"More can be done, and we certainly need to do more to understand what the Chinese want," he adds, and that may include offering more Chinese food, or other aspects of life they may miss from back home.

In particular, Murray believes the city is not geared up during graduation time when a large number of Chinese parents come to Leeds for about a week to help their children celebrate graduation.

"We should be offering more places to have nice meals and a nice time, and make sure they have a comfortable stay," Murray says.

During his time as Lord Mayor, he invited numerous Chinese students to his official office in the historic Civic Hall, which houses Leeds City Council's chambers, and a lavish banqueting hall.

He says some were left "overwhelmed" in a good way, by the experience, and opening his door to Chinese students and their families in this way also helps foster business ties between the city and the country.

Many parents have grown familiar with Leeds, and have gone on to look for opportunities to invest in the city.

Murray came to Leeds himself originally in 1968 to study at the University of Leeds and after graduating he stayed to work there as a science teacher, and subsequently became a local councilor.

He says when he first came to Leeds it was still a traditional industrial hub, and has since gone through a period of post-industrial development to grow strength in various other sectors.

He adds that this is a journey China now also needs to make, and it can learn lessons from Leeds in this respect, he says.

Both share common ground, which makes for a solid foundation of cooperation.

"When I first came, Leeds was the largest clothes-making factory in the world, but it isn't now because clothes are made in China.

"Leeds has become post-industrial, and this is what China is looking to do too."

(China Daily European Weekly 06/27/2014 page16)