Oakland trade mission to China cancelled

Oakland trade mission to China cancelled A planned trade mission to China, intended to cement trade relations and provide a unified front of the City of Oakland, Port of Oakland and state officials, was cancelled Monday as the collaborative Oakland effort began to fall apart.
   Late Monday Oakland mayor Ron Dellums pulled out of the trip. This followed Friday's announcement by U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, that she would not be able to go on the trip.
   The trade mission intended to travel to Shan Xi, Dalian and Shanghai in an effort to prevent the Port of Oakland, California's third largest, from losing business to other West Coast ports.
   Jose Duenas, president of the Bay Area World Trade Center and organizer of the trip, told InsideBayArea.com that the trade mission would be rescheduled. The BAWTC planned to cover $10,000 in expenses for Dellums and his wife to travel with the mission. The Port of Oakland was also contributing $30,000 toward the cost of the mission.
   The trip had garnered criticism from government watchdog groups saying it was inappropriate for the BAWTC to pay the mayor’s way. They cited possible undue influence over and access to Dellums by the BAWTC.
   Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar Benjamin, as well as Commission President Anthony Batarse Jr. and First Vice President Darlene Ayers-Johnson, were to represent the port on the mission.