Governor McDonnell Leads Job Creation and Economic Development Marketing Mission to Asia
Press Release
Governor Bob McDonnell and a team of Virginia economic development officials embarked today on an 11-day job creation and economic development marketing mission that will take the group to Japan, China and South Korea before concluding on May 17th. The marketing mission provides the Governor and other state officials a unique opportunity to strengthen Virginia's relationship with foreign companies that already have a Virginia presence and to share Virginia's story with prospective corporate investors and importers. Among those accompanying the Governor on the mission are Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, and senior officials from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The team will aggressively and proactively encourage business investment and job creation initiatives throughout the Commonwealth. First Lady Maureen McDonnell will join the mission during the China and South Korea legs of the trip, focusing her efforts on promoting tourism and the Virginia wine industry.
Speaking about his Administrations ongoing effort to bring good jobs to Virginia from all across the world, Governor McDonnell remarked, "We've got a great tax, regulatory and litigation environment, we're a right to work state, we have world class colleges and universities and our citizens can out-compete and out-innovate any other workforce on the planet. As the CEO of the Commonwealth I'm going to meet face to face with business leaders and CEO's all across the world and I'm going to tell them why they should invest in Virginia. We will not be passive in our efforts to bring good paying jobs to this state. We will not sit by and watch as the jobs and opportunities our citizens need are awarded to other states and countries that choose to be more proactive and visible. There is a global competition underway to attract the job creating private sector businesses that will power and define the 21st century economy. Virginia is going to win that competition. It will mean more jobs and opportunities for our citizens and a better and stronger Commonwealth in the years ahead."
While on the job creation and economic development marketing mission to Asia the Governor and Virginia officials will meet with business leaders in Japan, China, and South Korea in an effort to increase Virginia's agricultural and forestry product exports to those countries. China and Japan rank second and eleventh, respectively, on Virginia's list of export markets, while South Korea ranks in the top 30. China has shot up to second after ranking 14th just 11 years ago in 2000. In China the Governor will participate in an investment seminar, promoting Virginia's business location advantages to approximately key 100 business executives. He will also meet with Virginia servicemen and women stationed at U.S. Army Garrison YongSan in South Korea.
In addition, the First Lady and the Virginia Tourism Corporation will meet with media to encourage editorial coverage of traveling to Virginia and Virginia wine touring. The First Lady and the Governor and the Virginia Tourism Corporation will unveil Chinese and Korean translated websites to media in those countries in order to increase direct flight arrivals from Beijing and Seoul to Dulles Airport. In South Korea, the Governor and First Lady will hold a media event promoting the new immigration service agreement between the U.S. and South Korea to extend the trusted traveler programs between the two countries.
The Governor led a similar job creation and economic development marketing mission to Europe last summer. While on that mission he met with officials with The Hornschuch Group, a leading producer and marketer of highly technical films, and helped close a lucrative economic development deal that led to the company investing $28.3 million to expand its O'Sullivan Films operation in Winchester. The project will create 174 new jobs in the Winchester area. Other results from the European mission can be found below.
Governor Bob McDonnell's 2011 Asia Job Creation and Economic Development Marketing Mission Agenda
May 7th -- 11th (Tokyo, Japan)
* Meet with senior leadership from several companies with significant Virginia operations, as well as prospective Virginia business partners
* Meet with senior leadership of companies that are purchasing, or interested in purchasing, Virginia agricultural products, including soybeans, pork, leaf tobacco and wine
* Host a reception and dinner event for business executives, promoting economic development, international trade, Virginia wine and other agricultural goods, and Virginia's port facilities
* Promote Virginia tourism and wines
May 11th -- 15th (Shanghai and Beijing, China)
* Meet with government officials, senior leadership from companies with existing operations in Virginia and with prospective companies
* Participate in an investment seminar, promoting Virginia's business location advantages to approximately 100 business executives
* Meet with senior leadership of companies that are purchasing, or interested in purchasing, Virginia agricultural and forestry products, including soybeans and soy products, grains, pork, wood products, animal feed, leaf tobacco and wine
* Will also discuss with government officials the current Chinese ban on poultry and hardwood and softwood logs from Virginia
* Unveil a new tourism website translated in Chinese to the Chinese media
* Introduce travel writers and wine journalists to Virginia wine and Virginia wine touring
* Conduct media interviews, promoting Virginia to local, regional and international media
* Address students at Fudan University, School of Management, regarding economic development opportunities in Virginia
May 15th -- 16th (Seoul, South Korea)
* Meet with government officials, senior leadership of prospective companies
* Meet with senior corporate leadership of companies that are purchasing, or interested in purchasing, Virginia agricultural products, including pork, poultry, seafood, soybeans and soy products, leaf tobacco and wine
* Meet with Virginia servicemen and women stationed at U.S. Army Garrison YongSan
* Unveil a new tourism website translated in Korean to the South Korean media
* Introduce travel writers and wine journalists to Virginia wine and Virginia wine touring
Results from Governor-led Marketing Mission to Europe in July 2010:
* While in Weissbach, Germany, the Governor met with company officials and helped close an expansion deal with The Hornschuch Group, a leading producer and marketer of highly technical films In September 2010, the company announced plans to invest $28.3 million to expand its O'Sullivan Films operation in Winchester. The project will create 174 new jobs in the Winchester area.
* Successfully introduced Virginia food and beverage products to wholesale distributors, grocers, and other retailers in the United Kingdom. Dialogue continues with these businesses and more trade opportunities are being explored with other commodities such as seafood and meat products.
* The mission opened potential export opportunities for Virginia wood products.
* Increased shipments of Virginia wine to the United Kingdom for sale in London, Kent, Oxford and several other southern United Kingdom cities. There are now more than a dozen Virginia wineries exporting to London, the world's largest wine import market.
* New agricultural export opportunities were identified in mainland Europe.
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