CAPE GIRARDEAU, SHAOXING BECOME SISTERS TODAY

After two years of travel between the United States and China, Cape Girardeau will become Shaoxing's sister city in a ceremony today.

Four Chinese officials and several local dignitaries are expected to attend the event, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the Robert A. Dempster Hall. The Sister City Agreement states that both cities will cooperate in the areas of economy, trade, culture, education, science, technology and urban construction.

A Cape Girardeau delegation visited Shaoxing in May 1994, beginning a relationship between the two cities. Industrial recruiter Mitch Robinson went on that initial trip and said Shaoxing delegates are on their third visit to Cape Girardeau.

Foreign companies have located in Cape Girardeau in the past -- M&W Packaging is based in Germany and Biokyowa in Japan -- but Robinson doesn't expect any Chinese factories to open here in the near future. There are other benefits to being a sister city to Shaoxing, he said.

"Initially, we would benefit through educational exchanges," he said. "We have had large numbers of Chinese students here. They can attend Southeast Missouri State University and receive an affordable, state-of-the-art business education."

Several American factories use components produced in China, and Shaoxing stands to benefit if any local businesses decide to follow suit. They would be encouraged to use the labor in Shaoxing instead of another city, Robinson said.

State Representative Mary Kasten was another delegate on the 1994 trip to China. She said the contrast between the wealthy and poor was remarkable, with high-rise motels overlooking shacks.

"They are trying so hard to come into the modern, industrialized world," Kasten said. "They have a lot of needs we can supply. I see the opportunity for us to export foodstuffs, lumber and large equipment for construction."

The Shaoxing delegation arrived at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport on Sunday and will leave this afternoon. Members are Lu Zhiqiang, adviser of Shaoxing Municipal People's Government; Yu Yonggu, vice-secretary general of Shaoxing Municipal People's Government; Li Xigen, director of Foreign Economic and Trade Relation Committee of Shaoxing; and Zhang Tiefei, section chief of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shaoxing.

The group toured the city Sunday and will tour the university today.

Shaoxing, population 300,000, is more than 1,000 years old.