Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by markjohnson on September 2, 2009 - 10:50am.
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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."

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Perdue and the other travelers will attend the 33rd annual joint meeting of the Japan-U.S. Southeast Association and the Southeast-Japan Association (SEUS), groups that promote commerce between southeasterns states and Japan. North Carolina is this year's host, a duty that rotates among the eight member states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The organizations met in Raleigh last October. John L. Atkins III, president and chief executive officer of the design firm O’Brien/Atkins Associates in Durham, chairs the eight-state organization through the end of the October meeting.

Recent Japanese investments that generated new jobs include expansions by Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corporation's in Charlotte and by GE Hitachi in Wilmington. Two years ago, Honda Aero and Honda Aerospace announced new projects in the Triad.

"This trip is about bringing jobs and investment to North Carolina," Crisco said in a statement. "Japan and China share our keen interest in the fast-growing pharmaceutical, biotechnology, energy and automotive sectors, and we will hold at least 20 meetings with current and prospective clients in those sectors, as well as three business-recruitment seminars."

Here's a schedule of the trip:

Oct. 14-17 Travel to Tokyo, Japan - Economic development visits in Nagoya

Oct. 18-20 SEUS/Japan, Tokyo - Economic development visits in Tokyo

Oct. 21-27 Travel to Beijing - Meetings with trade and government officials, economic development visits in Beijing, seminars for Chinese businesses on N.C. Life Sciences, Automotive Industries; travel to Shanghai - meetings with trade and government officials, economic development visits, seminars for Chinese businesses on N.C. Life Sciences Industries–with the Hamner Institutes

Oct. 27-28 Return to North Carolina

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by marketrsh on October 15, 2009 - 8:40pm.

Smells like a dead rat.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by mosthind on September 2, 2009 - 8:56pm.

Well, of course she'll go in late October...that's the best Fall weather in China and Japan. Just bracing and beautiful! And.....she'll be back home for Thanksgiving vacation and then in mere weeks the Xmas and New Years Holidays will be upon us.

Shucks, it don't get no better than this.....why work?

Mrs. Dole must have been her secret mentor.

Folks, sure, business drummed up with the Chinese and Japanese provides some blue collar jobs here to push products mainly made overseas and the profits from the sales go right back overseas.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by alaskan1 on September 2, 2009 - 4:40pm.

you have to spend money to make money. Class envy was started by the Democrats---now they have to suffer

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by j1c2kp on September 2, 2009 - 3:51pm.

Once again, shame on Bev. tsk tsk

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by MDLNB on September 2, 2009 - 3:09pm.

$82K of State funds and we are laying off teachers. Way to go. Another shopping boondoggle. I thought she was a gov not a Senator. I have seen plenty of these shopping trips when I worked at U.S. Embassies. What a waste of money and government time. I would like to see how much revenue generation she obtains from this trip.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by whitewill4 on September 2, 2009 - 3:06pm.

$82,000 = two full-time teachers for one year
$164,000 = four full-time teachers for one year

Asian trip = "building and sustaining relationships"

Next election = new governor - priceless!

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by tammylee on September 2, 2009 - 2:51pm.

1) I'd love to see a list of the business leaders and economic developers going on the trip and compare it to Perdue's campaign donations. Bet you'd see some of the same names.

2) If over half of the money is coming from non-state funds (most likely tax money, just federal)that would mean that the total cost of the trip is at a minimum $164,000. Would like to see what that breaks down per person.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by PaulTerrell on September 2, 2009 - 2:20pm.

bkittner, not only are your remarks offensive, they do not do your side of the political spectrum justice. I see, hear, and talk to many of many different ideological leanings. No one has talked like that to my face or on camera USING THEIR REAL NAMES. So you need to look in the mirror and say that to yourself. If you offend yourself it is not a good idea to think you can use it here using a anon name.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by NotLiberal on September 2, 2009 - 2:17pm.

Although I have never been to China, I have spent a few years in Japan. Beef is at a premium over there. Back around 2001, a normal size steak can run you $30 US dollars. A bundle of bananas was around $12 bucks. If memory serves simple apples and oranges were about $4 each.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by domewatcher on September 2, 2009 - 1:38pm.

I can't wait to hear what the fare is on a cheeseburger and fries "over there."

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by bkittner on September 2, 2009 - 12:56pm.

Hey, you Teabagging twits...Guess where your tea comes from?...

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by aftercancer on September 2, 2009 - 12:48pm.

Yup' we trade with them. They get jobs and we get toys full of lead. Seems fair.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by chrismg on September 2, 2009 - 12:06pm.

I didn't vote for her. This state (and country) is going to hell in a handbasket!! AND FAST!!!!

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by NotLiberal on September 2, 2009 - 11:55am.

I have two words for Bev Perdue,"Video Conference".

That is how all the smart people do business these days and it saves the state 82 grand.

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by LastFreemanStanding on September 2, 2009 - 11:44am.

what's the carbon footprint of the trip?

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Re: Perdue plans trip to China, Japan

Submitted by Platowasright on September 2, 2009 - 11:29am.

No budget crisis in Gov Dimples' office. Hire a new PR flack, no problemo. Want to take a junket to Asia, no problemo.
Need to hire a few teachers? WHOA CAN'T DO THAT.

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