Case Study: Angus Council
Arising from its work with the Tayside Racial Equality Council in 1996, Angus Council was encouraged to consider twinning with a counterpart in China. This move was supported by the Confederation of Chinese Associations in Scotland and by the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh and Angus Council have developed close working relationships with both organisations over the last ten years. It was decided that commerce should be the driver for any twinning relationship, with the overall aim of strengthening the Angus economy. With help from the Chinese Consulate, the Council decided to link with Yantai in Shandong Province (population 6.5 million). The first trade mission visited Yantai in 1998 and in January 1999 a 'Sister City Link Agreement' was signed. Both parties have been fully committed to the relationship and strong political ties have been developed between Yantai and Angus Council which have been fundamental to the success achieved.
So far Angus Council has led five missions to China, the most recent of which visited Yantai, Beijing and Shanghai in March 2006. In return, the Council has hosted four missions from Yantai. There have been many other visits both ways by key individuals and company representatives to explore trade, tourism and educational initiatives. Not only has the Yantai connection given over 50 Angus and Tayside companies an introduction to the challenging Chinese market but most of those who have visited China on trade missions have achieved sales, sourced products and materials or established some form of business alliance. Notable successes include: an Angus company winning the contract to design and project-manage the construction of four oil/gas support vessels at the Yantai Shipbuilding Yard; an engineering company that secured orders of over £1m and have now established a manufacturing plant in China; the procurement of machine parts and food processing equipment helping Angus firms regain their competitiveness in winning orders in Europe; and two other companies who now have manufacturing operations in China.
In 2002, a co-operation agreement was signed between Carnoustie Championship Golf Links (owned by Angus Council) and Tiger Beach Golf Links - a Scottish Links style course in Haiyang (Yantai) - and the two courses are now involved in joint promotions. This has now been widened through a programme of cooperation with Shanghai Silport Golf Course which has been host to the Volvo China Open six times. Carnoustie and Shanghai Silport are now co-operating in joint promotions aimed at 2007 when the British Open returns to Carnoustie and the Volvo Open returns to Silport. These efforts are already bearing fruit with the arrival of 36 golfers from Shanghai in April 2006 to participate in the first Tartan Day International Golf Challenge played over St Andrews, Gleneagles, Carnoustie and Montrose. Other agreements include a link between the Yantai Tourism Bureau and the Angus and Dundee Tourist Board signed in September 2003.
On the educational front there are now active links between Yantai Vocational College and Angus College. Following a recent agreement between the education departments of Angus and Yantai, links have been established between two primary and two secondary schools, educational exchanges are now being planned and the teaching of Mandarin in Angus schools is being explored.
On the cultural front, the 6th of April 2006 marked a momentous occasion that recognised the strong links Angus has with China. At the 'Tartan Day' dinner, a new, officially recognised, 'Chinese Scottish Tartan' was launched (pictured above). Angus Council, working with the Chinese Consul General in Edinburgh and with the Chinese community in Scotland, played a significant role in creating China's own tartan that was designed by Strathmore Woollen Company, a local Angus company. Much has been achieved by Angus Council and its local companies over the 10 year journey but this is only the beginning of the journey.
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