SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that he will lead a trade and investment mission to The People’s Republic of China in April 2013 to increase direct investment in California, build sales by California businesses and strengthen ties between the world’s second and ninth largest economies.
“California’s exports are booming and our place in the world economy has never been stronger. Our ties with The People’s Republic of China in particular are deep—from the Chinese immigrants crossing the Pacific in 1848 to hosting China’s next President in Los Angeles last February,” said Governor Brown in his State of the State Address. “In April, I will lead a trade and investment mission to China with help from the Bay Area Council and officially open California’s new trade and investment office in Shanghai.”
He will be joined by a delegation of California business, economic development, investment and policy leaders on the mission, which will be organized by the Bay Area Council. As noted in his remarks, Governor Brown will re-establish California’s formal trade presence in China for the first time since 2003 by opening California’s new trade and investment office in Shanghai.
The trip follows a year of significant diplomatic exchanges between the State of California and the People’s Republic of China.
In February 2012 Governor Brown welcomed His Excellency Xi Jinping, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, to California. During the visit Governor Brown announced his intention to visit China, open a trade office and form a China-California working group; met privately with Vice President Xi; spoke at the China/U.S. Economic Trade Forum; and held a round table with U.S. and Chinese governors, Vice President Xi and Vice President Joe Biden.
In May 2012 the Governor’s senior advisor on jobs and business development Mike Rossi convened the inaugural Joint Economic Committee between California and China’s Jiangsu Province. In July 2012 Governor Brown’s Secretary for Food and Agriculture, Karen Ross, hosted a Chinese delegation led by the Vice Minister of China’s Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Wang Chao. And in December, the Governor’s Executive Secretary Nancy McFadden hosted a Chinese delegation led by Deputy Governor Xia Geng of Shandong Province.
Additional details and a full itinerary will be released in coming weeks.