Outcomes of Lt Governor Owen's week in China

Since our visit to China earlier this month, there have been some positive results of the mission. We were pleased to deepen relationships with our Chinese counterparts and make further economic development inroads for our state. Lt. Governor Owen summarized the highlights and important conversations that took place in a letter to Governor Gregoire.

These included:

* The signing ceremony between American Life Inc., a Seattle-based property investment and management firm, and agents from various provinces of China to enlist their services in signing up Chinese investors for American Life’s real estate projects, has shown immediate results. To date, four new investors have signed on to the Seattle regional center.

* Lt. Governor Owen signed a memorandum of understanding between his office and Hainan Province with the purpose of “enhancing and developing friendship and cooperation” and “promoting mutual understanding”. We expect to receive a delegation from Hainan Province later this year.

* We have met with the director of the Port of Seattle, Tay Yoshitani, to report on our meetings with the Port of Qingdao and Hainan Airlines and to discuss the expressed wish from Hainan Airlines and government officials in Hainan Province to increase Washington state-China tourism.

* I met with the director of government relations in the northwest region of the Boeing Co. to discuss the concern raised by the ministry of foreign affairs in China.

We relayed the Chinese government officials’ message regarding official contact with Taiwan to the governor.

Thank you for your interest in Brad Owen’s travel to the People’s Republic of China.

For the full text of the letter click here: http://www.ltgov.wa.gov/eletters/072709ChinaHighlights.pdf