A Dallas delegation's trip to China will pay dividends through strengthened business relationships and increased foreign trade, said Mayor Tom Leppert, who led the group of two-dozen political leaders, businesspeople and their spouses.

"The reception to us, and the message of Dallas, is as good as we could have expected. It probably exceeded our expectations," Mr. Leppert said as he exited an American Airlines flight back to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Friday.

Highlights of the weeklong trade mission included sealing a deal to establish a U.S. headquarters in Dallas for Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corp., and talks with airlines China Eastern and Cathay Pacific that Mr. Leppert described as "positive" toward establishing elusive nonstop service between a Chinese city and D/FW Airport.

The journey is part of expanded efforts by Dallas in recent years to tap foreign markets in a bid to not only increase imports and exports, but to attract a greater foreign business presence – and investment – to the city's commercial districts.

Ron Natinsky, chairman of the Dallas City Council's economic development committee and a delegation member, says he expects to make a follow-up visit to China before the end of the year.

"The point is, if we slowed down for a couple of years and didn't do anything, we'd lose the gains we've made," Mr. Leppert said. "Consistency and commitment means a lot."

During a layover in Japan, Mr. Leppert hailed a recent Dallas Central Appraisal District revaluation of downtown land on which many city leaders want to build an attached Dallas Convention Center hotel. DCAD nearly quintupled the property's value on the tax rolls, from $7.5 million to $36.5 million, after city officials asked DCAD to re-evaluate the 8.3-acre tract bounded by Young, Market and Lamar streets.

Earlier this year, the council approved an option to buy the land for about $41 million.

"It's accurate. I think it's representative of the values you're seeing in the downtown area," Mr. Leppert said.

But the revaluation also concerned the mayor and Mr. Natinsky, who questioned whether other downtown properties' appraised values are out of whack. Undervalued downtown properties mean less property tax revenue flowing into city coffers – a problem in and of itself, they said.

"Maybe they better assemble some appraisers and start going through some downtown properties pretty fast," Mr. Natinsky said.