A publication that calls itself the most widely read English-language China business magazine has chosen Atlanta for its North American headquarters. 

China Economic Review, published by a London-based media outlet called Sinomedia, is currently using temporary office facilities in Buckhead.  The company could have 20-30 staff members and contractors working here within two years, said Seth Jacobs, director of investment services for the company.

The Atlanta presence is part an effort to boost the magazine's visibility in North America, where the appetite for China-focused economic news is increasing along with the fast-growing economy's global influence, said Graham Earnshaw, CEO of China Economic Review and Sinomedia.   

"Many of our readers currently are employed by big American, European or other international firms operating in China, and since we already have a presence in London and Hong Kong, our next natural move was to North America," Mr. Earnshaw said.  According to marketing materials, about 20 percent of the magazine's readers are in the U.S.  The circulation of the monthly magazine is 25,000.  It eventually hopes to expand its reach to Latin America. 

Although some Chinese companies have set up operations near Atlanta, the Georgia capital is not widely considered to be a powerhouse in attracting Chinese investment. 

But the city has a variety of assets that helped it beat out New York and San Francisco for China Economic Review's interest. 

"Atlanta has always been a regional hub for business. It is a well-known city with the headquarters of a lot of major companies, good HR, low costs of living and a direct flight to Shanghai via Delta," Mr. Earnshaw said.  "We considered New York and San Francisco, but when you compare costs they could not compete."

Mr. Earnshaw also noted that those cities have historical ties with China because along with Washington, they were the only ones Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited when he came to the U.S. in 1979 to celebrate the normalization of U.S.-China relations.

President Carter, a Georgia native and former governor, presided over the shift of diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to mainland China at the time. 

In addition its print magazine and Web site, which help business leaders make informed decisions about their China operations, China Economic Review also organizes conferences and events that allow readers to learn about pressing current issues and network with the magazine's staff and clients, Mr. Earnshaw told GlobalAtlanta in an e-mail interview.

On May 20, the magazine put on its first Atlanta event. It aimed to introduce Southeastern manufacturers to the Wujin Hi-tech Industrial Zone, a manufacturing region in Changzhou, a city west of Shanghai.

The conference featured members of the magazine's staff and representatives from Wujin and the government of Changzhou.

Mr. Earnshaw said the event was a success for Wujin, a client that has been working with China Economic Review for two years.  He's confident that the Southeast's focus on China will provide ample demand for the magazine's resources. 

"The Southeast already represents a huge market for Chinese goods; the Savannah port and surrounding counties are likely to see increased logistics business with China over the next few years," Mr. Earnshaw said.

He added that Delta's Shanghai flight was an added benefit of Atlanta, but it will be short-lived for the company. Delta announced June 11 that it would suspend that route indefinitely beginning in September.  Instead, air passengers en route to Shanghai from Atlanta will stop once in Detroit. 

For more information, visit www.chinaeconomicreview.com.

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