LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Friday he hopes to return from more than a week in China trip with new and renewed business and trade relationships.
The Republican governor and former business executive said the trip from Tuesday through Sept. 27 with other officials aims to boost trade, tourism and investment between the countries. It includes stops in Shanghai and several provincial capitals.
“It’s a reasonable hope we’ll have some good announcements coming out of it,” Snyder told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “It’s mainly to build relationships that hopefully will result in things in the next 12 months or so.”
The China trip follows last September’s trade mission to that country as well as South Korea and Japan. He credits that trip with leading to economic developments, including the expansion of Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. near Ann Arbor and a major investment in the Chinese-backed Nexteer Automotive facility near Saginaw.
Primary goals include pursuing exporting opportunities and landing more Chinese investments in Michigan “because I think we’re a great value place to invest.”
Promoting Michigan food and agriculture products also is part of the agenda, and planning to join him is Jamie Clover Adams, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
On the relationship building front, he plans to rekindle a 30-year sister relationship between Michigan and the Sichuan province “that hasn’t been as active as it should be.” He also is excited to see what develops from Pure Michigan advertisements that have been translated for a Chinese website.
Snyder first will spend the weekend in Minnesota with Midwest governors and Japanese officials as part of the annual conference of the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association.
