St. Louis area political and business leaders will be wooing about 70 of their counterparts from China this weekend, as part of the shuttle diplomacy aimed at persuading the world's fastest-growing economic power to select Lambert-St. Louis International Airport as its hub for air cargo to and from the Midwest.

The region's campaign began more than a year ago, and continued with a series of back-and-forth visits of leaders here and in China.

This time, it's China's turn.

From Saturday to Monday, 70 Chinese business leaders will be in town, led by Madam Zhang Yingxin, deputy director for the Chinese Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA). The agency is part of China's Ministry of Commerce.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann and U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, are expected to participate in a host dinner Sunday night.

Gov. Jay Nixon is said to be meeting with the Chinese group at a Sunday luncheon. Another lunch is slated for Monday. Representatives with a number of local business groups and major companies also are to meet with the Chinese while they are in town.

According to organizers, the key topics will include "potential business partnerships, government policy regarding incentives and how they could be applied to foreign investment."

The Chinese entourage also will be visiting Chicago and Washington, D.C. But local organizers say the group will spend the largest bloc of time in St. Louis.

Promoters of Lambert point to its extra capacity created when it lost its airline hub status after Trans World Airlines became part of American Airlines. They also cite the close highway connections and St. Louis' central location.

Last year, officials in China and Missouri signed a Memorandum of Understanding, basically meaning that talks would continue.