What Trade Means to My State Tim Pawlenty Twenty-five years ago this among the first to invest there. leading initiative that brings together October, something remarkable For example, 3M was the first public and private organizations happened in Minnesota: two governors, foreign company to establish a wholly- throughout the state to promote all each from his nation’s heartland, put owned subsidiary in China. Cargill facets of Minnesota’s relationship with their names to a document formalizing also formed an investment company in China. their friendship. Shanghai and was first to win approval Over the years, each time One line bore the signature of to conduct business in China. And, Minnesota has extended itself, China Minnesota Governor Al Quie; the Northwest Airlines was the first U.S. has responded enthusiastically. other, the signature of Yu Mingtao, airline to provide non-stop air service Cooperative partnerships between governor of Shaanxi Province in the between the United States and China. Minnesota and China abound in many People’s Republic of China. By 1989, some 80 Minnesota areas. More than 25 government That ceremony in the fall of 1982 companies were doing business in delegations have visited Minnesota – a moment that would have been China. And today hundreds and in the past decade, including some inconceivable just a decade earlier hundreds of our small, midsized and of the most prominent and influential when President Richard Nixon paid his large companies do business there, leaders in China. And earlier this year, historic visit to the communist Minnesota and China formalized nation – went virtually unnoticed. an agreement to work together Even the state’s largest newspaper to stimulate two-way investment ...manufactured exports relegated the event to a brief between Minnesota and China. alone are responsible for buried in its B-section. Of course, our trade nearly 111,000 jobs statewide. relationships extend well The significance of that first official meeting between In fact, one in six manufacturing beyond China, but I think our Minnesota and China may have efforts there well illustrate the been lost on many, but visionary jobs in Minnesota is dependent importance Minnesota places political, business and education on international trade, as well as on exports. leaders knew exactly what it our commitment to cultivating meant. Three years had passed international opportunities. since the United States normalized exporting more than $1.2 billion a year The year that the first Chinese diplomatic relations with its former in manufactured goods. delegation visited Minnesota, the enemy and it wouldn’t be long before In 2005, I became the fourth state’s total manufactured exports to the door opened again to trade with the Minnesota governor to lead an official all foreign markets were less than $3 West. delegation to China. Our delegation billion. In 2006, Minnesota companies A year later, another governor, had more than 200 members, the exported more than $24 billion in Rudy Perpich, brought Minnesota’s largest such mission undertaken by manufactured goods, services and first official delegation to China and any state. Each governor’s visit was agricultural commodities to 205 the state opened an official trade office historic in its own right. And each foreign destinations. to help our companies do business in built upon the work of his predecessor, Those foreign sales are an markets all over the world. opening doors, building bridges, and important part of our state’s economy And as China slowly began strengthening ties. – accounting for about 10 percent of the economic reforms that laid the Beyond that mission, my our gross state product. They translate foundation for its economic success administration launched the into thousands and thousands of good today, Minnesota companies were Minnesota-China Partnership, a nation- jobs and everything that goes with 16
RIPON FORUM August/September 2007