Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and Seiichiro Sano, Executive Director and President of Sanyo Group
Having met with officials at Tianjin Port in China yesterday, the Governor’s 13-day trade mission to Asia will soon be coming to a close. Port of Portland representatives departed on September 11 with a delegation comprised of local and state officials, Oregon business leaders, and Governor John Kitzhaber.
The aim of the delegation is to seek new market prospects, promote Oregon agricultural products in Asia, and build relationships with business contacts. The group has had a full agenda of meetings in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan; Seoul, South Korea; and Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai in China.
“Traveling abroad to meet with prospective customers is critical to building upon our state’s international trade strengths,” said Bill Wyatt. “Having access to markets in Asia assists local companies in remaining competitive on a global scale.”
International trade has long been a building block of Oregon’s economy. It is the ninth most trade dependent state in the nation, and the Port supports over 1,000 Oregon companies that export their products and services abroad. In 2010, the state experienced a 19 percent increase in exports, led by high-tech sales to China. The same year, 83 percent of Oregon’s total agricultural exports were to Asia.