International journalists are in Toledo - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

More than a hundred foreign investors are in town from places like China and Europe. They're here for the 5 Lakes Global Economic Forum and the goal is to sell them on doing business in the region. But investors aren't the only people from around the world in town for this conference, a number of international journalists are here too.

Foreign correspondents from places like India and Moscow as well as China and Denmark are in Toledo covering the forum and the ones we spoke with are impressed with what they've seen.

Louise Wit is a New York City based reporter for a business paper in Denmark, "For me, as a foreign correspondent, this is an interesting story because it's usually the other way around. We usually talk about jobs moving away and investment going the other direction, but it's this is an interesting sign of a reverse trend. Americans have not been used to going out and selling the country and reaching out to other cultures, so its a great experience to be here."

While there is already quite a bit of foreign investment around the region Wit says this forum is a great way to open the door to even more, "We were just talking to some of the Chinese businessmen and it's clear that for them this is a big step, for some it's their first time in the United States. As an immigrant myself, I think it's great when people travel , talk and meet and see that we can cooperate and clearly that is the way forward. I hope a lot is going to come out of this."

Like Wit, Ariel Tung is a foreign correspondent based in New York City. This is her first visit to Toledo, "Actually I was very surprised. I saw the downtown yesterday as the cab driver took us around I was very impressed."

Tung works for The China Daily Newspaper covering business and investment stories, "In the last 30 years it's always been American businessmen going to China to invest. Now you see more and more Chinese coming to America to make investments, and I think this is just the beginning."

Michael Mao works in Vancouver for a consulting group that specializes in getting Chinese investment to North America, "I think the business, economic and living environment are very god here for our clients. This is my first time to Toledo Ohio and it's a nice place, I love this place!"

The forum runs through Wednesday and that's when the investors will actually get out into the community. They'll be able to go on bus tours that focus on specific segments of the economy like transportation and logistics, medical and pharmaceutical as well as technology manufacturing and real estate. And here's a good way to gauge the success of the event. Even though it ends tomorrow, organizers say some of the foreign investors have extended their trips and will be in town longer.