Author: californiacenter



BEIJING, CHINA – 4 of the Top 10 largest global themed entertainment companies in the world shared their knowledge and experience within the entertainment industry for those attending the Themed Entertainment Association’s (TEA) forum at the China Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (CAAPA) Expo in Beijing just last week. TEA also held a special panel session which featured several of its Asia Board Members, including California Center’s CEO, Margaret Wong.

The TEA panel included expert discussion on how themed entertainment is evolving in a rapidly expanding Chinese market. Specifics were shared on theme parks, family entertainment centers, edutainment centers, museums, live entertainment and more.

The China Attractions Expo has been organized by CAAPA since 1990. It is the most established international amusement and attractions exhibition in China. The floor space has increased dramatically to nearly 38,000 square meters, and is well-known as one of the most successful international amusement and attractions exhibition in the industry.

CAE Beijing 2018 drew industry professionals from over 100 countries to this year’s venue. The three-day show hosted over 450 exhibitors, with more than 100 of them coming from outside of China.

Many of the world’s leading attractions industry companies were present, including: BSH, Shendi Group, Riverside Group, Parques Reunidos Group, ABC, Accesso, Bolliger & Mabillard, Dream Park, Forrec, Huss, Ideattack, Intamin, Interlink, KCC, M&V, Murphys, OKE, PDC, Polin, Proslide, Sanderson, Severn Lamb, Simtec, Simworx, Triotech, Vekoma, Whitewater West, WTI, Xtrem, Zamperla, Zierer and many others.

California Center was also proud to join as a featured sponsor at this year’s TEA forum at CAAPA!

White House AAPI Meeting

SAN MATEO, CA – Last week, Asian Inc. and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) business centers hosted a group of Asian business leaders, including representatives from California Center for a round table discussion with newly appointed Executive Director, Holly Ham, White House Initiative on Asian American & Pacific Islanders. The leaders discussed perspectives on the AAPI landscape and relationships with federal government that impact local business and educational communities.

Among the issues raised during the discussion by the leaders present were: ways to strengthen the U.S. economy, cutting unnecessary and over-burdensome regulations on Asian businesses, improving the educational environment, cyber-security concerns, technology transfer from universities, and infrastructure investment planned by the federal government.

California Center Vice President Gordon Hinkle specifically noted at the meeting his concerns that many companies working to clean up our environment and reduce carbon output are constantly bombarded with regulations and procedures at both the state and federal level that limit application of innovative new technologies. Director Ham took note of the concern and responded that the White House is doing everything in its power to reduce over-regulation so businesses can thrive and also pointed to the role of the White House Office of American Innovation which is striving to help keep advancement of technologies progressing.

Ms. Shirley Gee, Chief Strategy Officer at DeltaTrak, Inc. and former Stanford University Professor also raised similar concerns about technology transfer from Universities into industry. Ms. Gee noted that too much useful information is sitting on the shelf in our nation’s universities. Director Ham took careful note of the issues raised and committed to helping bring such concerns to light both at the White House and at Federal Agency levels which was encouraging to the attendees.

Other noted participants at the meeting included leaders from the National Asian Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ACE), the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), Google, Air Bnb, and several top California Asian-owned business leaders.
December 2017 (China) – Margaret Wong, President/CEO of California Center and Board Member of the Themed Entertainment Association’s (TEA) Asia Board, joined other TEA representatives in meeting the owner of Chimelong Group Co., Ltd. earlier this week. The Chimelong Group is a conglomerate that owns and operates theme parks, luxury hotels, convention centers, high-end restaurants, leisure entertainment businesses, and it is the leading enterprise in China’s tourism industry. China is an enormous growth market for entertainment business and California Center is utilizing its unique resources in both U.S. and China to help U.S. companies to develop meaningful relationships and to better connect with China’s entertainment audiences.
  Dec 1st, 2017 ( Chengdu, China) –  Greg Drescher, Vice President of strategic initiatives and industry leadership at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), visited California Center Chengdu office in China with his wife Mai Pham, an expert on Southeast Asian food, and an author, chef, and cultural ambassador.   To learn more about Greg Drescher, visit this link: https://www.ciachef.edu/greg-drescher/ 
  Nov 5th, 2017 ( Hunan, China) – California Center signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Hunan Yongsheng Jinjianmi Men’s Basketball Club. Both parties will conduct in-depth cooperation in the fields of personal training, player introduction, club management and business development in the future. Margaret Wong, CEO of California Center, played an instrumental role in bringing the first NBA games to China in 2005 when the Sacramento Kings played the Houston Rockets. The strategic cooperation agreement reached encourages future involvement by current and former NBA icons to cooperate with Hunan.

Chinese New Report:
 

SACRAMENTO, CA – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. was hosted by the California Center over the weekend in Chengdu for a special business breakfast event during his historic visit to Sichuan Province, China.  Governor Brown is the first sitting California Governor on record to visit Sichuan, and made immediate use of his time by meeting with several key U.S. companies gathered together, to share with the Governor aspects of their experiences working in the region to further advance business relationships and clean energy cooperation.

 

IMG_0627

IMG_0615
California Governor Jerry Brown

“Much credit has to be given to the Governor for understanding the critical role U.S. companies are playing in this vitally important economic region of China, and we were honored to be able to host this important business engagement,” said California Center’s President/CEO, Margaret Wong.  “Chengdu and the Sichuan Province are the gateway to the ‘Silk Road’ which is a prominent and strategic focus of China’s economic plan that focuses on connectivity and cooperation – there is no better location than Chengdu for seeing first-hand the level of dedicated cooperation occurring between our two countries, we are so excited the Governor made this stop a priority.” added Wong.

IMG_0622
California Center CEO/President: Margaret Wong

Governor Brown’s message to the group of nearly thirty businesses and dozens of economic/political leaders remained focused on his primary purpose for this trip to China, which is to promote clean energy cooperation and mechanisms to reduce global emissions.

California Center has been a valuable resource and advocate for numerous clean tech company efforts in China and even helped to launch the U.S. Smart Cities Alliance focused on smart energy solutions between the U.S./China.  California Center also recently opened a new office in Chengdu and has created a seamless operation that includes: consulting, shipping, customs clearance, warehousing, sales transactions and customer services for U.S. companies trying to connect in China. Through California Center’s portals, Chinese buyers can navigate through listed California companies seamlessly and with great ease.   California Center also has been working in Sichuan to build unique opportunities in the areas of: sports, entertainment, theme parks, media, high-tech, medical industries, as well as education, to further connect U.S./California businesses, elite educational institutions and respected groups and/or programs with partners in China.

Governor Brown was joined by U.S. Consul Raymond Greene; the Mayor of Luzhou, Mr. Liu Qiang, the Chairman of the Sichuan Energy Industry Investment Group, Mr. Guo Yong; Mary Nichols, Chairperson of the California Air Resources Board, as well as numerous top-level staff from the Governor’s team and Sichuan’s Bureau of Investment and Service representatives.

IMG_0621
U.S. Consul Raymond Greene
IMG_0618
Mayor of Luzhou Mr. Liu Qiang
IMG_0617
Chairman of the Sichuan Energy Industry Investment Group, Mr. Guo Yong

Notable U.S. heavy-hitters joining for the meaningful engagement with Sichuan corporations and the Governor included: Chevron, Tesla, McWong Environmental Energy Group, Dell EMC, and Tyco Electronics.

April 24th, 2017  (Davis, CA) –  In collaboration with the California Center, the Confucius Institute and Global Affairs at UC Davis has successfully organized a great event ” Taste of the Best China: A showcase of Celebrity Chefs ” at Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, UC Davis.

Eight top Chinese chefs displayed their culinary skills and allowed the event participants to taste the authentic Chinese cuisines from different regions, such as Hangzhou Cuisine, Sichuan Cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine and Yanghzou Cuisine.  The delegation of Chinese chefs led by Beijing Celebrity Chef Technology Co. Ltd. is invited to participate in the annual World of Flavors  at California Institute of America in Napa Valley. It was such a great pleasure to bring them to Davis to showcase their culinary skills.

IMG_8742

IMG_8615 IMG_8645 IMG_2026 Scannable Document 2 on May 3, 2017, 2_59_41 PM IMG_4749 combination of cuisine More photos can be found at our Facebook page    

California Center Makes a Splash in Chengdu, China with Grand Opening of New Business Connecting Facility in the Heart of the City’s High-Tech and Future City Center

U.S. Consul General Greene, Sichuan Province Officials and California State Representatives join with dozens of U.S. and Chinese Business Leaders to Celebrate New Home for Numerous Global Collaborations and Business Transactions

Nov. 16, 2016 (CHENGDU, CHINA) – California Center launched its new business connecting facility in the heart of the new high-tech city center of Chengdu (the capitol of the Sichuan Province) today with numerous U.S. and China dignitaries and business leaders eager to forge new business relationships!

img_1389

The opening of the new facility signals a major milestone, building on an agreement previously signed between California Governor Jerry Brown and Sichuan Party Secretary Wang Dongming, a little over a year ago during a U.S./China Governors’ conference held on the U.S. west coast. The agreement called for increased collaboration in business, energy conservation, education, and cultural exchanges. The California Center in Chengdu will serve as a hub for that activity and as a home for many California businesses.<?

california-center-margaret-wong

“We are so moved by all the wonderful support and cooperation we have received from the highest levels in government and from both the U.S. and China business communities to make this state-of-the-art facility in Chengdu a reality,” said Margaret Wong, President/CEO of the California Center!

img_1384

img_1387

img_1381

In attendance at the event were numerous dignitaries from both Sichuan and U.S./California, including: U.S. Consulate General Raymond Greene; Mr. Zhao Weiping, Deputy Secretary General of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government; former Republican Leader, Senator Bob Huff (R-San Dimas); California State Friendship Committee Members; Mayor-Elect/Assemblyman Donald Wagner (R-Irvine); Mayor of Luzhou and numerous officials from nearby Sichuan cities and districts.

At the celebration numerous projects related to new business in Sichuan were announced, including collaborations with major businesses like: Ledman, Dynacom and McWong. Also heralded, were efforts underway with major universities like UCLA, and the announcement of unique emerging business opportunities in sports and entertainment throughout the Sichuan region.

fiona-ma

bob-huff

img_1338

California Center Cross-Border E-Commerce Store: http://californiacenter.jd.hk/

capture

October 13th, 2016 ( California) – California Center arranged a delegation of 70 people from All-China Bakery Association to visit Traina Foods and Heart Ridge Farms. Founded in 1996, All-China Bakery Associaton(ACBA) is a nationwide trade association under the leadership of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce(ACFIC). Led by U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, the delegation first attended International Baking Industry Exposition LLC (IBIE) 2016 Show in Las Vegas from Oct. 8th to 11th. After that they came to California to meet with suppliers.

logo-all-china-bakery-associaton

In the morning of Oct. 13th, California Center led the group to visit the Traina Food, which was founded in 1926 and has been a full-scale provider of sun dried fruits and vegetables serving a global market. Willie Traina , the CEO of Traina Foods and Tom Ielmini, Director of Industrial Sales welcomed the group and introduced the company and its products to the group.

dsc_0325 dsc_0342

Former WNBA legend Ruthie Bolton was invited to the visit with the delegation. Her coming excited the group and everyone enjoyed taking photos with her. Ruthie started as a college basketball player at Auburn in the 1980s. A few year later, she led the United States women’s basketball team to the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Los Angeles.

dsc_0348
Ruthie Bolton (Left) with Willie Traina, CEO of Traina Foods
More Photo about Visit to Traina Foods can be found on our Facebook page .  

In the afternoon, California Center led the group to Visit Heart Ridge Farms, which produces the finest almonds in California. California Center has been working with Heart Ridge Farms since the beginning of 2016 and we are about to launch Heart Ridge Farms retail almonds in our E-commerce platform next Month. During the visit, Bill Pitman, the CEO of Heart Ridge Farms presented to the group the story behind Heart Ridge Farms and also introduced its proprietary ATS green processing technology which makes high-quality roasted almonds. After the presentation, Bill led the group to visit the almond tree field to let the group understand how the trees are grown there. The group were very excited to learn everything about Heart Ridge Farms and its products; they showed a lot interests in the bulk almonds that can be used for the food service industry.

dsc_0408 dsc_0428 dsc_0361
dsc_0441
Feihui (Left), Vice President of ACBA with Bill Pitman, CEO of Heart Ridge Farms
dsc_0474
Lovely folks from Heart Ridge Farms
More Photo about Visit to Heart Ridge Farms can be found on our Facebook page