Governor Sonny Perdue prepares to cut the ribbon officially opening the Georgia Business Advisory Center in Beijing. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Add another Chinese company to the list.

Last year, three Chinese companies announced plans to open manufacturing operations in Georgia.  While the displays of confidence in the state by General Protecht Group, Kingwasong LLC and Sany Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. were good news in their own right, many government and economic development officials believed they were simply part of the first wave in a tsunami of Chinese investment to come. 

On April 3, Georgia saw another swell on the horizon, as Gov. Sonny Perdue, on his first business mission to China, announced Hong Kong-based electronic payment system and point-of-sale software provider PAX Technology Ltd.'s decision to locate a sales and support center in the metro Atlanta area employing up to 20 people initially. 

At an inauguration ceremony just before the wheels went up on Delta Air Lines Inc.'s first flight to Shanghai, China, March 30, the governor hinted that this is just the type of business the state hopes the new flight and Georgia trade office in Beijing will foster. 

He said that Georgia wants to be the "front door" for Chinese companies looking to invest in the U.S., and the state's logistical infrastructure is key in making that possible. 

"With each direct flight, (Delta is) opening Georgia's doors a little bit wider to the rest of the world," he said. 

The announcement came after Mr. Perdue met with PAX officials in Beijing, where just a day earlier the governor opened the Georgia Beijing Business Advisory Center Ltd., the state's 11th economic development office abroad.

PAX is a subsidiary of Hi Sun Technology Holdings, which is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. 

Both Mr. Perdue and PAX officials credited a receptive environment for foreign companies as the main factor attracting the company to Georgia. 

"The state's logistics systems and access to markets, as well as its business-friendly environment will help our company grow," said Thomas Xu, PAX's chairman and president.  "We have found that Georgia is a very friendly place for Chinese companies and we look forward to our new home in metro Atlanta." 

Hans Gant, senior vice president for economic development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, said the flight would help companies of all sizes capitalize on the Georgia-China connection, but he thinks that small- to medium-sized companies will especially benefit. 

The governor, whose five-day mission ended the evening of April 3, met with officials from Tsinghua University in Beijing to formally establish a new partnership that will provide for increased faculty and student exchanges as well as research opportunities between Tsinghua and the University of Georgia.

Mr. Perdue delivered a lecture to students at the event on the international spotlight of the Olympic Games, using Atlanta's experience in 1996 for the basis of a speech on the potential economic impact of the games on Beijing. 

A variety of Georgia universities have educational institutes or initiatives revolving around China.