Governor Gregoire to Welcome Mexican President Vicente Fox to Washington

For Immediate Release: May 3, 2006

OLYMPIA - Governor Chris Gregoire will host Mexican President Vicente Fox and First Lady Marta Sahag�n de Fox in Washington later this month. President Fox will visit Seattle on May 24 and 25 at Governor Gregoire's request.

"I am honored that President Fox has accepted my invitation to visit the great state of Washington," said Governor Gregoire. "We are the most trade dependent state in the nation and this visit, following so closely on the heels of the visit from China's President Hu, highlights Washington's importance in the global economy."

Mexico is Washington's eleventh largest export market. Washington companies shipped almost $1 billion in products to Mexico in 2005 and exports include transportation equipment, agriculture and paper products, computers and electronics.

Washington has a trade office in Mexico City, but the ties between Washington and Mexico extend beyond trade. A sister state relationship was formed between Washington and Jalisco in 1996 and many of Washington's colleges and universities have student and faculty exchange programs with schools in Mexico.

Governor Gregoire received confirmation from Consul General Jorge Madrazo of the Mexican Consulate General in Seattle that President Fox had accepted her invitation to visit Washington.

Governor Gregoire and the First Gentleman will greet the president at the airport and will host an official state dinner in his honor. This will be President Fox's first trip to Washington.


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