(October 27, 2011)
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said he closed today on a third Chinese trade deal, this time a $200 million agreement with the government of Zhejiang Province, bringing the total deals reached this week to $4.8 billion.
In addition to the $100 million in export opportunities, the agreement signed today also calls for the provincial government to help facilitate $100 million in direct investment in Missouri businesses, Nixon said. Zhejiang is a province in the southeast corner of China with a population of about 54 million people.
Nixon also toured the production facilities of Astronergy in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang. Astronergy, a manufacturer of solar panels and arrays, is a business unit of The CHINT Group and a major business partner with MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE: WFR), a $2.2 billion St. Peters company led by CEO Ahmad Chatila that makes wafers for the semiconductor and solar industries, and develops solar power projects. Nixon said he helped facilitate a contract between CHINT and MEMC at a meeting earlier this year in Salt Lake City.
On Wednesday, Nixon signed a $200 million deal with Hebei provincial officials, and Monday he inked a $4.4 billion export agreement with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Tomorrow, Nixon will address the American Chamber of Commerce and meet with the mayor of Shanghai and private business leaders. Another Missouri business, Gastineau Log Homes, also will close a deal with a Chinese customer, Nixon said. The governor and the delegation return from their trade mission Saturday. |
