Georgia Economic Development chief targets China for jobs

Ken Stewart, commissioner of Georgia’s Economic Development Department, hopes to add to the half-dozen Chinese companies that have located here.

“I’m very excited about China,” said Stewart, who recently returned from a 10-day trip there to promote Georgia. “They are growing at about an 8 percent rate. … We hope they look to Georgia to put capital and hire people.”

During an interview Monday, Stewart said he traveled to five cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, to host “Invest in Georgia” seminars. Attendance among the business and government officials varied from about 25 to 125, he said.

“It’s incumbent upon us to prove the value concept to them,” he said, citing the state’s ports, transportation infrastructure, labor force and the supply-chain expertise of some companies here.

He acknowledged that other states are making similar trips.

At least six Chinese companies have announced locations in Georgia in the past three years, creating at least 700 jobs and $60 million in investment, the department said. They include:

• Kingwasong –- 200 jobs
• Hailun Piano –- U.S. Headquarters — 10 jobs
• General Protecht –- 240 jobs
• Sany –- 200 jobs (potentially 600)
• Pax –– U.S. headquarters — up to 20 jobs
• Hisense –- up to 40 jobs

Georgia has three employees in Beijing working for Stewart’s department.

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