Vancouver mayor brings a big name on business hunting trip

By the time most Chinese children reach middle school, they would have read, recited and memorized the eulogy of Canadian doctor Norman Bethune.

Known for his time spent alongside Mao Zedong and the Eighth Route Army treating wounded soldiers in the hills of Shaanxi province during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Bethune helped bring the earliest forms of blood transfusion technology to China.

His dedication to the cause earned him hero status in the formative years of modern China and spurred Mao to write In Memory of Norman Bethune, an essay still found in elementary textbooks throughout China.

Seventy-six years on, one of Bethune's descendants is once again trying to help build a positive link from Canada to China - this time in support of China's economic rise.

On a 10-day tour of China, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Angus Bethune Robertson, whose grandmother was a first cousin of the famous doctor, is leading a delegation of executives from 18 companies to establish business ties and promote overseas investment.

Aimed at building on a previous visit in 2010, the group is the largest Vancouver-led delegation to visit China, Robertson said.

"As China builds cities at a record pace, I think it's important to offer many services and products and innovations to Chinese cities and companies," he said.

"I think these companies all offer compelling partnerships with Chinese businesses and investors."

Keen on sticking to the present, Robertson said his legendary heritage has been more of a talking point than a selling point during his visit.

"Bringing it full circle, I'd like to think we continue to build on that connection between Canada and China," he said.

Already the trip has seen some results, with Nerd Corp, a Vancouver-based digital entertainment company, establishing a partnership with China's Ciwen Media Group to distribute content and merchandise throughout China.

The deal capitalizes on a growing appetite from Western entertainment companies to tap into China's potential $7.7 billion box office figures.

With more than $1.02 billion spent on film production in Vancouver in 2010, the city is ranked the third-largest production center in North America - a fact that has earned the city the nickname Hollywood North.

Partnerships with Vancouver film studios could provide a chance for Chinese companies to bring their productions west, Robertson said.

"In digital media in particular, we have attracted companies from all over the world to build studios in Vancouver because the talent is very high," he said.

"So I think we have a lot to offer in terms of partnerships with Chinese companies and also co-production with Chinese companies for the North American market."

The 160-person delegation began its trip in Beijing on Nov 4. It will travel to Shanghai and Guangzhou before finishing the tour in Hong Kong.

While in the capital, Robertson signed a memorandum of understanding with Chaoyang district of Beijing, which includes most of the city's commercial center.

During their Guangzhou leg, the delegates will celebrate the nearly 30-year-long Sister City relationship the southern city has shared with Vancouver.