Governor Crist Leads Team Florida Trade Mission to Chile

Press Release

GOVERNOR CRIST LEADS TEAM FLORIDA TRADE MISSION TO CHILE

SANTIAGO, CHILE - Governor Charlie Crist yesterday arrived in Santiago, Chile, as part of Team Florida's primary trade mission to São Paulo, Brazil. Chile is Florida's sixth largest trading partner in the world, with bilateral trade exceeding $4.9 billion in 2006. Governor Crist met with Chilean government officials and business leaders with an interest in doing business with Florida. The visit to Santiago is part of a five-day trade and economic development mission, during which the Governor has met with top business leaders and senior government officials in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

"Chile, over the past decade, has emerged as one of Latin America's most formidable economies and one of Florida's fastest growing business partners," said Governor Crist. "The free trade agreement signed between Chile and the U.S. provides us the platform to extend our commercial relationship with Chile, while also depending on the country as a catalyst for greater trade and investment with the South American region as a whole."

While in Santiago, Governor Crist also met with Ambassador Carlos Furche, Vice Minister of Trade for Chile, responsible for his country's trade policy implementation. The Governor and Minister Furche discussed bilateral trade relations and strategies to further expand trade between Chile and Florida. The Governor encouraged the Minister to visit Florida in 2008 as the head of a Chilean delegation of business leaders.

Governor Crist also met with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce of Chile to discuss expanded partnerships between Florida and Chilean companies. The American Chamber was represented by Mateo Budinich, president, and Jaime Bazán, general manager. Business executives joining the Governor were Jorge Cauas, president of BCI Bank; Ricardo Dabler, manager of the international division of BCI Bank; and Eugenio Heiremans, president of Asociacion Chilena de Seguridad.

Following the Governor's mission to Chile, Enterprise Florida will organize two international trade development events. The ExpoSalud, an international trade exhibition to be held June, 7-9, 2008, will focus on the health technologies sector. The Florida trade mission to Argentina and Chile will take place on October 19-25, 2008, and will consist of a number of Florida companies, with emphasis on technology and knowledge-based service sectors, seeking to promote their products and services in Chile.

Governor Crist continues to advocate for free and fair trade and has made international trade and investment a key aspect of his economic diversification efforts for Florida. Chile has maintained a dynamic relationship with Florida since the United States/Chile free trade agreement went into effect in January 2004. Since then, bilateral trade between Florida and Chile has more than doubled.

Coordinated by Enterprise Florida Inc., the Team Florida delegation includes business and governmental leaders, as well as representatives from economic development and educational organizations.

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