(Press Release) — EUCON International University officially announced that international investment firm IMPEX Group Limited has reached a strategic cooperation (intent) with EUCON on May 20, 2026, in Beijing.
Xiaolin Zhang, deputy general manager, board member, and certified management consultant of IMPEX, has formally confirmed her deep involvement and commitment to advancing the financing and development of the EUCON University Town project. This landmark cooperation signals that international capital is officially setting its sights on the CNMI, injecting powerful economic vitality into these beautiful islands — and turning the bold vision of “Make the CNMI Great Again” into reality.
Economic recovery
In recent years, the CNMI has faced a series of severe economic challenges. In 2025, the Marianas Economic Recovery Roadmap issued by the CNMI Office of Planning and Development comprehensively diagnosed the Commonwealth’s most pressing difficulties, including the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastating destruction caused by Super Typhoon Yutu. For too long, the tourism-dependent economy has exposed the weaknesses of an overly narrow industrial structure and insufficient resilience, with recession and persistently shrinking private investment intertwining into a difficult bottleneck.
Yet the CNMI has never lacked the courage to embrace change. In February 2026, Gov. David M. Apatang issued a powerful invitation to global investors at the U.S.-Pacific Investment Summit in Hawaii: the CNMI’s “doors are wide open for business,” eager to attract external capital to revitalize the economy.
Recently, Senate Vice President Corina L. Magofna introduced three legislative bills aimed at “attracting global investment,” offering tax incentives and streamlined processes to transform the CNMI into a trade and investment hub in the Western Pacific.
Against this backdrop, the EUCON University Town project emerges not only as an academic center to cultivate future leaders but also as a core engine driving economic diversification, creating high-quality jobs, and attracting global investment.
A win-win investment partnership
IMPEX Group Limited, a Hong Kong-based international company specializing in asset management and investment services, brings extensive experience in cross-border capital deployment. Xiaolin Zhang, deputy general manager of IMPEX, is a certified management consultant with proven expertise in corporate strategy, capital operations, and international investment. Her commitment is not a casual promise but a well-considered vote of confidence — one rooted in the long-term value and profound social impact of the EUCON University Town plan.
This cooperation goes far beyond the university town itself. It will create a powerful “investment begets investment” demonstration effect. As IMPEX’s capital and resources flow in, more institutional investors, industrial capital, and strategic partners from Asia and around the world will see the unique advantages of the CNMI as an investment destination. They will follow suit, deploying new projects across different sectors — forming a virtuous ecosystem in which the university town drives diversified, multi-industry growth.
As Governor Apatang has stressed, the CNMI needs private-sector-led growth, with government creating a business-friendly environment.
Shaping the future
The EUCON University Town project draws on the world’s best “university town” development models. Take La Trobe University City in Australia as a reference. It provides $440 million annually to the regional economy and has created 33,500 jobs.
EUCON’s plans include multi-disciplinary programs such as artificial intelligence, golf management, international trade and economics, finance, and advanced manufacturing. It has already forged close partnerships with regional financial anchors such as the Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia, aiming to cultivate a new generation of diverse talent for the CNMI.
When the University Town is fully completed, the CNMI will experience transformative changes:
• Thousands of high-quality jobs — from architects, engineers, and IT specialists to faculty, service staff, and managers. The University Town will generate a wide range of employment opportunities, allowing residents to stay home — to work, start businesses, raise families, and build careers — rather than leaving their islands.
• Economic diversification — new industrial clusters in education, technology, financial services, sports & leisure (golf), cultural creativity, and more will take shape, fundamentally reducing the risk of an overly tourism-dependent economy.
• Inflow of international talent — the University Town will attract students, scholars, and researchers from China, the U.S., Asia, and beyond to live, study, and work here. This will not only generate direct education-related spending but also greatly enhance the CNMI’s global visibility and cultural dynamism.
• Upgraded infrastructure — to support the construction and operation of the University Town, the Commonwealth will see systematic upgrades to its transport networks, smart energy systems, digital communications, healthcare facilities, and commercial amenities — giving the whole CNMI a brand-new look.
• Take-off for local businesses — the daily needs of the University Town community will create unprecedented opportunities for local restaurants, shops, construction firms, logistics providers, and creative industries.
Igniting hope
“We are extremely grateful to Ms. Xiaolin Zhang and the IMPEX team for recognizing and supporting the EUCON vision,” said Dr. Christian Wei, president of EUCON International University. “This cooperation is not only about funding — it is about a convergence of confidence. With IMPEX’s international resources behind us, the University Town project will become a landmark endeavor for CNMI’s economic recovery. We sincerely invite all CNMI residents, business leaders, and government agencies to join this exciting transformation. This is not merely building a university. This is building a stronger, more prosperous, and more resilient home for our children and for us.”
Making CNMI Great Again is no longer just a slogan. It is taking shape on our land, through our partnership and shared efforts — step by step.
About EUCON International University
EUCON International University is committed to providing high-quality, U.S.-accredited education and cultivating future leaders with a global outlook and innovative capabilities. The University Town project is designed to drive economic diversification and regional development through education, paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for the CNMI.
