Did you know that one third of Houston jobs are connected to international trade?
I recently had a very exciting opportunity to travel to China on a trade mission and serve as an ambassador for Houston. It was an incredible journey to five cities Beijing, Jinan, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
The purpose of the trip was to foster greater cooperation between Houston and China. We hope to expand opportunities for trade and to attract more international businesses to the Houston region. This could result in job creation and new development here at home.
In China, we met with businesses and associations whose investment in our city holds great potential. It would:
- Bring wholesale outlet centers to the Houston area
- Translate into thousands of fair and good-paying jobs to help fuel our local economy
- Drive an increase in cargo coming through the port of Houston, helping our economy at every level
- Help to position Houston as the premier distribution center for international products to Mexico, Central and Latin America
- This trip also gave us an opportunity to highlight the quality of American products that can be shipped to the growing consumer base of China.
A special part of our journey was our visit to Houston’s sister city, Shenzhen – an important and fast growing port city. The relationship between Houston and Shenzhen is key to our growth and development as an international trade and diplomatic hub. We met with Zhou Qinrui, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen, the Director of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic meetings with high ranking city officials from France, Poland, Italy, Russia and Japan.
We expect several international delegations in Houston as a result of our trip to China. Houston has reaped big rewards because its diversity and international population. I look forward to supporting efforts that position Houston as a key global city in the 21st Century.
- Ed
