CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County’s delegation has returned from China, and it was a “successful and productive” business trip, reported Commissioners John A. Sobel, chairman, and Tony Scotto, at Tuesday’s regular board meeting.
In November of 2015, a delegation of officials from Lanling County, Shandong Province, China visited Clearfield County. Their visit resulted in successful discussions, and a delegation from Clearfield County was later invited to visit Lanling County, said Sobel.
Clearfield County recently sent Commissioners Sobel and Scotto, along with Rob Swales, chief executive officer, Paul McCloskey, vice president of energy and business development, and Dave Schultz, board chairman, all of Clearly Ahead Development, as a delegation to China.
During the Clearfield County delegation’s visit in Lanling County, Sobel and Scotto signed a sister-county agreement after being pre-authorized by the board of commissioners. This will establish economic and cultural ties between both counties and both nations, according to a previous GANT News report.
On Tuesday Sobel and Scotto reported that the Clearfield County delegation had a “successful” and “productive” business trip to China. “We made a lot in the terms of beginnings,” said Sobel. “… We made a lot of very good contacts with various Chinese business entities.
“And, we hope with time they will develop and when and if they come to fruition bring economic development to Clearfield County.” Scotto concurred, saying: “Our sister-county agreement allowed us the ability to speak with many trade organizations that are in contact with the government offices in China.
“We met with several trade organizations that opened the doors to hundreds of various companies with different objectives and readiness to invest in Clearfield County.” Like Sobel, Scotto noted it was just the beginning step in developing the county’s relationship with China.
Scotto noted that two Chinese delegations will visit Clearfield County in August and September. The delegation in August, Sobel said, will be similar to the one from Lanling County that visited in November of last year.
The delegation, which will be visiting the county in September, will be made up of officials from the Chinese Oil & Petroleum Engineering Institute and the Chinese Overseas Development Association, according to Sobel.
Sobel noted that when they signed the sister-county agreement in Lanling County, it was the opening day of its major Agricultural Exposition. He described it as being very similar to the Clearfield County Fair.
He also said that Lanling officials spoke to the Clearfield County delegation about its current issue. “Lanling County’s children are leaving for other parts of China and the world for better opportunities.
“They want to improve their own economy, so that their children either stay or come back, just like we are trying to do here in Clearfield County. It’s an interesting parallel since were are on two, different sides of the world and meeting under similar circumstances.”
Commissioner Mark B. McCracken offered to remain in Clearfield County while his fellow commissioners visited China as part of the county’s delegation. “I was excited to hear about their visit and hear of the two delegations that will be coming to Clearfield County in the future,” he said.
“This is a start. I think their trip was very successful, and I look forward to the future.” Sobel said if the county has the opportunity to send another delegation to China in the future, hopefully McCracken would be a part of it.
Sobel said when he and Scotto visited China they developed a true appreciation for the gifts both have as American citizens. “We are very blessed in this country,” he said.
Sobel said Clearly Ahead plans to release additional information on the delegation’s trip in the near future.