The Motor City has seen better times. What was once a roaring metropolis of 2 million people is now home to only 700,000. In 1967 Detroit was hit by race riots, and in the 1970s gas shortages pushed Americans towards imported cars with better gas mileage. Slowly the once-thriving auto industry collapsed as GM, Ford and Chrysler shuttered production plants.

After years of corruption from the mayor’s office, resulting in millions in missing funds, the state of Michigan took over the city in 2013. Governor Rick Snyder, described it as, “Basically broke.”

CCTV America Correspondent Mike Kivech recently visited Detroit and reports that among the abandoned structures, urban blight, and low or nonexistent property values, an unlikely savior seems to be stepping up to help.

Chinese investors have started buying up some of the vast, abandoned cityscape and they are putting the local population to work. Chongqing Helicopter Investment Company is one such company. After buying the Michigan firm Enstrom Helicopters two years ago, the company is booming, selling helicopters in China for their domestic police.

Chinese investors help revive Detroit\'s economy

An unlikely savior seems to be stepping up to help Detroit. Chinese investors have started buying up some of the vast, abandoned cityscape and putting the local population to work.

Gov. Snyder hopes this is just the beginning. He urges the Chinese to consider miles of vacant real estate and a hungry-to-work populace when choosing where to invest. Snyder also sees the bankruptcy of the once great city as a cleaning of the economic slate.

Residents of the Motor City say they hope such investment will create a roaring economy once again.