St. Louis-area business leaders are planning a visit to China later this year in an effort to increase the region’s ties to the fast-growing Chinese economy.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that former Republican Sen. Kit Bond will lead the delegation to four cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou. The trip is scheduled for the first week of December.

Bond was active in Asian relations while in the Senate and now leads a consulting firm that works on international trade. He says the visits to China help forge relationships that lead to deals and jobs.