Agreement shows Nevada’s enhanced relationship with China

Over the years, Nevada leaders have signed various documents assuring smooth business relationships between cities in China and the state.

But a memorandum of understanding that promotes trade and foreign investment, signed last month by outgoing Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, has greater meaning because it represents the state’s broadening relationship with the entire country.

Krolicki and Wang Jinzhen, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, signed the memorandum that enhances the state’s partnership with the People’s Republic of China on Nov. 18.

The document encourages increased investment in Nevada from Chinese enterprises and provides an avenue for Nevada entrepreneurs who want to enter the Chinese market.

The agreement also encourages official visits between institutions including trade development offices, universities, tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, trade associations and government agencies.

The signing came on the heels of a new 10-year reciprocal visa agreement with China that eases travel for short-term business trips, tourism and student travel between the two countries.

“This is a historic time in the U.S.-China relationship,” Krolicki said. “The newly announced breakthrough 10-year visa issuance for the citizens of our countries, as well as an enhanced international trade landscape and awareness of the Chinese business environment among Nevada companies, mean this agreement will create practical, dynamic and long-term opportunities. This agreement is truly a culmination of a decade of work by many individuals who have focused on developing this critical relationship.”

For Krolicki, it was a personal triumph, culminating years of relationship-building on various trade and tourism-enhancement missions. The November China visit was his last as lieutenant governor. He’ll be term-limited out of office and will turn the reins over to Lt. Gov.-elect Mark Hutchison, who will be sworn in to office on Jan. 5.

Nevada was the first state in the country to open a licensed tourism office in China. Former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt pioneered the effort and in 2004, the office opened in Beijing. Krolicki, then state treasurer, joined the delegation on trips at his own expense to learn more about the prospective benefits in tourism and economic development for the state. The lieutenant governor chairs the Nevada Tourism Commission and serves on the Governor’s Office of Economic Development board.

“Over the last decade, I’ve watched the importance of this relationship grow exponentially,” Krolicki said in an interview. “This agreement solidifies our entire professional relationship with China.”

More importantly, it directs Chinese investors to look to Nevada as a place for their investments.

Following the historic opening of the tourism office, representatives of the governor’s economic development office have built tourism and trade development programs that have attracted travelers and business developers to the state.

The agreement Krolicki signed was developed through the tourism office, headed by Karen Chen, who has been the state’s chief tourism representative in China since the office opened.

The China tourism market was estimated at 200,000 people when Nevada’s office opened. Last year, the prospective market was estimated at 1.8 million and over the next 10 to 20 years, it’s expected to expand to 10 million to 15 million.

“It’s been an exquisite relationship,” Krolicki said of the decade of building rapport between Nevada and China. “Signing this agreement on behalf of the many people who have worked to bring this relationship to where it is today is a great punctuation mark to the completion of my role.”

Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find him on Twitter: @RickVelotta.