Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said on Monday that his recent East Asia trip would enhance economic ties and that it had secured 300 million dollars in foreign investments for the city.

 

The 14-day, nine-city mission to China, Japan and South Korea laid the foundation for the future economic development of Los Angeles with the cooperation of its East Asian partners in trade and tourism, he said.

 

Leading a team of 45 business leaders, Villaraigosa launched a tourism promotion campaign in Japan, and opened a tourism office in Beijing, the first of its kind in China.

 

"L.A.'s relevance as a world class, international city will be driven by our willingness to engage in the economic forces driving globalization," he said.

 

In China, the delegation also visited the site of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in a bid to build support for Los Angeles' bid for the 2016 games.

 

The mayor said he was impressed by the efficient public transit systems throughout Asia. "This focus on public transit is where the future of L.A. has to be, and it was great going to Asia to reaffirm that," he said.

 

The trip also motivated the mayor to invest in architectural landmarks similar to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

 

"L.A. has to recommit itself to great architecture," the mayor said. "We have got to start saying to our architects and to our developers, we've got to re-imagine what L.A. looks like."

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2006)