Gov. Nixon's heading to China.
A spokesman confirmed that the Missouri Governor is planning to lead a trade delegation to China later this year to talk about exports, investment and, yes, the bid to build a Chinese cargo hub at Lambert St. Louis International Airport.
The, trip rumored to be in the works for some time, was confirmed in a letter Nixon sent to business leaders Monday. Nixon met with several Chinese officials at the National Governors Conference in Salt Lake City over the weekend, said spokesman Scott Holste. And he laid the groundwork for a trip.
No date has yet been set, Holste said. But according to Nixon's letter, a visit would focus on:
* expanding export markets for Missouri farmers and businesses.* developing the St. Louis-China Hub at Lambert* facilitating bi-lateral investment opportunities between Missouri and China. And,* advancing educational exchanges
"I am convinced that Missouri will be successful in building a broad, sustainable cooperation with China that will foster increased trade, job growth and economic development for our state," Nixon wrote.
News of the trip comes at an interesting time.
Nixon, of course, is a key player in ongoing talks about tax credit legislation, which Lambert supporters hope will include $360 million in subsidies to build a Chinese cargo hub in St. Louis. He has said he won't call a special session to consider the bill until House and Senate lawmakers come to agreement on it, and those talks seem to have perked up in recent weeks.
The Governor has sent mixed messages about the China Hub as the project has stretched on over three years now. He has often made supportive public comments, but has also resisted requests for funding and expressed some skepticism about the Aerotropolis tax credits. Last year he scuttled a visit to Taiwan when China Hub backers, and the Chinese consulate, objected. |
