News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 7, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke to Lead Trade Mission to China and Vietnam

Gov. Gary Locke today released details of the trade mission to China and Vietnam that he will lead Sept. 15-24, to promote two-way trade and tourism.

Scheduled activities include the introduction of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development’s (CTED) new Guangzhou representative, in addition to the trade office in Shanghai; apple and potato promotions in Ho Chi Minh City; a delivery of a Boeing 777 jetliner to Vietnam Airlines in Hanoi; personal meetings with the Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Chief Executive of Hong Kong to discuss trade opportunities; and a signing ceremony for a higher education exchange pact between Pierce College and Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Joining the governor on the mission will be Juli Wilkerson, director of CTED; and Valoria Loveland, director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA); as well as a 25-member delegation of business, agriculture and education leaders.

“We’ve established unprecedented relations with China through two previous missions that have resulted in millions in sales for Washington businesses and farmers,” Locke said. “China continues to be an important trade partner and Vietnam shows great promise as a newly emerging market.”

Washington state exported more than $2.3 billion in goods and services to China in 2003, more than any other U.S. state except California and Texas. Locke wants to further the trade relationship with China and encourage more exports to Vietnam as well as work to make sure the state’s products are not excluded due to tariffs and non-tariff barriers.

Objectives of this mission include:
· Positioning Washington state as a world leader in two-way trade of goods and services with China and Vietnam;
· Opening more trade doors for Washington companies and farmers in both countries;
· Working with key leaders to improve conditions for business;
· Developing personal relationships between the Washington delegation and Chinese and Vietnamese officials;
· Forging close business ties with Chinese and Vietnamese companies; and
· Furthering trade, education and cultural relations with both countries.

“The past trade mission successes demonstrate how important our trade missions are in increasing and improving international trade,” Locke said. “Our trade missions yield results. They create more jobs for Washington citizens.”

The trade missions bring value to Washington state’s business and agricultural sectors, and also establish opportunities for future exports. For example:

· The governor’s June 2004 mission to Mexico resulted in projected sales of approximately $6 million. Delegates reported the trip exceeded their expectations in terms of establishing key business contacts crucial to building their future business with Mexico.

· As a result of the October 2003 mission to China, Washington trade mission delegates have reported $3 million in actual sales and projected sales of $40.3 million.

· Several Washington companies will be playing a major role in the design, engineering and construction of facilities for the 2008 Beijing Olympic games. This mission will allow prospective companies to make personal introductions to key Chinese dignitaries and discuss potential projects related to the Olympics.

· The governor’s trade missions to Japan, China, and Mexico during the past two years helped Washington businesses and farmers sell products and services to some of the world’s largest markets. The delegations returned with immediate new sales. They also returned with mutual business, agricultural and educational opportunities.

· The governor has encouraged resolution of trade issues and has helped open international markets for Washington’s products and services, including the historic first-ever shipments of fresh Washington potatoes to Mexico in May 2003 and a breakthrough chipping potatoes shipments to South Korea in December 2003.

In addition to the trade mission, two Washington companies will be representing the Northwest at the Food and Hotel China trade exhibition in Shanghai, Sept. 14-17. Pacific Valley Foods, Inc. of Bellevue, Wash., and China Pacific Group, Inc. of Seattle, will be two of more than 500 companies from 28 countries that will display a wide range of imported food, beverage, hospitality and retail equipment at the annual event.

# # #

Editor’s Note: List of delegates is attached.
Related Links: www.governor.wa.gov; www.cted.wa.gov; www.agr.wa.gov

China and Vietnam Delegation
September 2004

Bill Mann, VP, International Sales, United Coatings Manufacturing Co. (Spokane)
Randy Mullen, Commissioner, Washington State Potato Commission
Tracy Olberding, Washington State Potato Commission
Phil Schoening, Commissioner, Washington State Potato Commission
Pat Boss, Executive Director, Washington State Potato Commission
Danielle Boss, Washington State Potato Commission
Donnie Smith, President, MacTon L.L.C. (Bellevue)
Tracy King, Export Director, Washington Apple Commission
Rebecca Baerveldt, Assistant Export Director, Washington Apple Commission
Charles Witzleben, President, SuperValu International (Tacoma)
Charles Pham, Export Manager SuperValu International (Tacoma)
Starr Tavenner, Director-Global Strategy & Alliances/China Country Team Leader/President, China Relations Council, The Boeing Company (Seattle)
Alan Ralston, Director, Northwest Region, State Relations, The Boeing Company (Seattle)
Thomas Hsueh, Owner's Representative, Triton America LLC (Anacortes)
K. P. Cheng, Assistant to Mr. Thomas Hsueh, Triton American LLC (Anacortes)
Charles Herrmann, Herrmann Law Firm (Tacoma)
Felix Vargas, Herrmann Law Firm (Tacoma)
Alex Choe, President, VirtualTek Corporation (Bellevue)
Michael Thompson, President, Weyerhaeuser Asia, Ltd. (Federal Way)
Ming Zhang, Senior Vice President, Mulvanny G2 Architecture (Bellevue)
Renren Zhang, Managing Director, China, Weyerhaeuser Company (Federal Way)
D. L. Baron, Video-Mation (Seattle)
Richard LeMieux, Northern Marine (Anacortes)
Allen Clark, Partner-in-Charge, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP (Seattle)
Elizabeth Willis, Trustee, Pierce College (Tacoma)


» Return to this month's News Releases
» View News Release Archive

Access Washington