London Breed in China: Here's where SF mayor will go, who she'll meet

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed is headed to China this weekend on an economic mission.

ABC7 News first reported the trip last week, but Breed made a formal announcement Wednesday morning.

She said she is traveling with a group of Asian business and community leaders.

The trip includes stops in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.

RELATED: SF Mayor London Breed heading to China in April to promote tourism

Breed says the weeklong trip is intended to bring in new business and tourism to San Francisco.

While there, she will meet with Chinese-based tech businesses along with Chinese airlines. Leadership from SFO will join her on the trip.

She also wants to talk about bringing pandas back to the San Francisco Zoo.

Breed was invited to China by President Xi Jinping during last year's APEC Summit.

RELATED: Chinese tourists noticeably absent from San Francisco, numbers show

Chinese tourists have still not come back to the numbers SF saw prior to the pandemic. China was once San Francisco's top international market.

"I am honored to be invited to travel to China and meet with leaders in business, innovation, and government to cultivate economic opportunities and strengthen ties between San Francisco and cities across the region," Mayor Breed said in a press release. "Our Chinese and Chinese American communities are core to the fabric of our City and have greatly contributed to San Francisco's rich history and economic vitality. Building on the success of APEC last November, it is critical that we continue to build on that momentum to strengthen San Francisco's international partnerships and maximize economic and business opportunities that are so valuable for San Francisco's future."

The trip is being paid for by a non-profit group and marks the 45th anniversary of the San Francisco-Shanghai Sister City relationship.

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