The visit started with a “friendship concert” starring Flemish conductor Dirk Brossé, who has been touring the world with the music of film composer John Williams. Also among those taking part in the mission was Flemish astronaut Frank De Winne.

Peeters landed in Shanghai just as new information emerged that foreign companies had last year approved only 182 new investment projects in Belgium, 10 fewer than the year before. Furthermore, Wallonia is closing the historic gap with Flanders, with 67 projects launched there last year, good for about 2,000 jobs, compared to 78 in Flanders, totalling just over 2,800 jobs.

The total number of new jobs came to 5,317, down on the 2008 figure of 6,766 and far below previous years, when the number of jobs created easily topped 10,000.

“Belgium continues to suffer from a gigantic costs problem, whereas other countries, like Germany, have worked hard on that problem,” said Roel Spee of Plant Location International, a division of IBM, which produced the figures. “Employment costs are still extremely high, and the rate of corporation tax is not likely to attract many investors.”

One of Peeters’ main destinations on the mission was Hangzhou, the location of car manufacturer Geely’s headquarters, where he was hoping to persuade Geely to rescue Opel Antwerp. Geely took over Volvo last year and now runs the Ghent Volvo factory. But the company is not interested in Opel, said Geely boss Li Shufu.

There was better news on other fronts. Environment week brought the signing of a cooperation agreement between Aquafin and the Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG), an umbrella organisation for some 200 companies. The Chinese are interested in Flemish waste management technology and policy, and closer cooperation will be sought with OVAM, the Flemish waste management agency.

In addition, Hong Kong Airlines is to start a regular cargo route between Hong Kong and Brussels, beginning in September with three flights a week via New Delhi, rising to six from October or November. The link is expected to help create up to 800 new jobs.

Following Peeters’ visit, environment minister Joke Schauvliege headed Flemish environment week. Innovation minister Ingrid Lieten and health minister Jo Vandeurzen have already visited Shanghai, and interior minister Geert Bourgeois is also scheduled to go.