【時報訊】由密蘇里聯邦參議員共和黨Kit Bond和民主黨Claire McCaskill領軍之聖路易中國空港訪中團，8月底、9月初在中國訪問一週，分別受到上至中國國務院副總理王岐山之接見和中國外交部、農業部、航空局等部會首長之會議，強力推動聖路易林白機場中國空港(大設想)計劃。此行收獲最大的是全團由林白機場主任Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge代表，於9月1日與中國航空運輸協會秘書魏振中簽署合作備忘錄，美中貨運通航有望，聖路易中國空港計劃勢在必行。
9月7日，自中國大陸返美之參議員Claire McCaskill接受此間媒體訪問時表示，與中國貿易是聖路易地區拓展經貿的大好機會，McCaskill 參議員說，美國有很多產品適用於中國中產階級民眾所需。至於中國空港計劃，她指出，目前中國有四家航空貨運公司同意加入研究可行性，據信中國政府將會選擇其中一家，作為與聖路易林白機場合作對象。
McCaskill參議員樂觀地表示，明年(2011)中，應該會有一週兩航班之中國空港計劃實現。
隨團出訪中國的聖路易中國空港委員會主席Mike Jones表示，下個月(10月)中國將派出一個包括政府官方和航空公司高層之代表團訪問聖路易，這將是一個關鍵時刻。Jones說，我預料下個月將會是中國空港之突破時刻。他再次強調聖路易林白機場作為中國空港比其它機場有諸多有利點，包括不良氣候影響少，跑道滑行時間短，通關快速等。
至於隔鄰的伊利諾州美中機場捷足先登，在上月宣佈中國上海貨運班機成功飛抵，試飛成功，對此，Jones用一個大家都能暸解的比喻表示「美中機場找的是女朋友，我們林白機場要的是一位太太。」
U.S. Senators Bond and McCaskill Report on ProgressMade on Midwest-China Hub Development
ST. LOUIS, September 9, 2010 - Last week, United States Senators Kit Bond and Claire McCaskill led a delegation of government, business and civic leaders along with the Midwest-China Hub Commission back to Beijing and Shanghai. The Senators held the most recent of several meetings with the Vice Premier of China, Wang Qishan, who continued to express support for this project. A highlight of the trip came with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and the Memorandum of Understanding (CATA).
This MOU signaled the deepening commitment of the Chinese toward this new air freight trade route-a route that will provide new markets for Midwestern produced goods. Agreement was reached on a path forward for future negotiations. The CATA will send a delegation to St. Louis in October that will include representatives from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and four Chinese airlines that have demonstrated an interest in St. Louis operations.
"St. Louis has long been known as the Gateway to the West, but after our successful trip to China, I'm confident we can make this city the Gateway to the East, creating new jobs for Missourians and new markets for our products," said U.S. Senator Kit Bond. "If the progress we made on this trip continues, next year we will be celebrating the first of many Midwest-China Hub flights that will fuel the jobs of the future in the Heartland."
"China has a growing middle class, and this has the potential to be a huge market for American exports," McCaskill said. "This trip was about tapping into this market and making sure St. Louis is a hub for the Midwest's exports, and we made real progress in advancing these goals."
The Senator-led delegation consisted of local state, and federal officials as well as Midwest China Hub Commission board members, civic, academic, organized labor and business leaders. Stephen Perry of the London Export Company and Chairman of the 48 Group Club played a key role in guiding the delegations efforts. The delegation met with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, CATA, Chinese airlines, as well as government entities such as the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Shanghai Municipal Government, among others.
孏The strength of this delegation lies in the breadth of its support. We saw business leaders joining labor officials; Democrats working with Republicans, a testament to the potential impact of this project for the St. Louis region,?said Commission Chairman Mike Jones. 㜁e appreciate the time and effort these regional leaders have committed to such an important endeavor for the region.?
The underlying mission of the delegation𠏋 trip to China is to strengthen economic ties with Chinese government officials and business leaders to create new markets for Midwestern goods in China. Members of the delegation met with the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). A business delegation led by the ACFIC will visit St. Louis in November. The hope is that continued business level interactions will yield opportunities for area businesses to expand trading relationships and develop new product markets.
About the Midwest-China Hub CommissionThe Midwest-China Hub Commission, known as "The Big Idea," is a public-private collaboration among St. Louis and Missouri governmental officials and business associates working together to establish an economic partnership with China. Formed in 2009, the Commission proposes that the St. Louis region become China's primary gateway into the American heartland through dedicated cargo flights connecting the Midwest U.S. with China.
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