Gov. Beverly Perdue plans to lead a two-week trade trip to China and Japan in the last half of October.

Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco, who has been to China 16 times, will join Perdue on the trip, along with business leaders and regional economic developers from across the state. More than half of the costs will be covered by "non-state funds," according to Perdue's office. The state will pay about $82,000.

China is North Carolina's second largest trading partner. Japan is fourth.

"This trip is about building and sustaining relationships that create jobs for North Carolinians," Perdue said in a statement released this morning. "Doing business with Japan and China results in $3.6 billion a year in trade, jobs for 20,000 North Carolinians and more than $200 million in foreign direct investment."

More after the jump.

   Comments (16)