Nebraska center China

This week, I am pleased to announce the grand opening of the new Nebraska Center China, located in the heart of the business district in Shanghai. The opening of Nebraska’s first trade office in China is exciting for many reasons. With soaring export growth and ever increasing opportunities for foreign direct investment, we are working to create new trade opportunities that benefit Nebraska.

China is Nebraska’s fastest growing export market, and already Nebraska’s fourth largest export market. We want to enhance Nebraska’s opportunities for international trade, and China continues to present excellent opportunities for numerous industries ranging from agricultural products to logistics services.

Last year, China’s export market had shipments totaling $488.2 million dollars. Export growth to China has been impressive, with exports more than doubling since 2009. This is why it is critical to have a physical presence in China to further foster opportunity for Nebraska businesses to sell their goods and services abroad.

In addition to pursuing opportunities to promote Nebraska products, we are also interested in efforts to increase foreign investment in our state. Since the first Reverse Trade Mission to Nebraska in September 2008, seven Chinese businesses have come to Nebraska. In February, we welcomed another new Chinese company to Nebraska - New Grand Ocean International. We want to continue to recruit new businesses to Nebraska, in addition to helping Nebraska agricultural producers and trade groups increase exports to an ever growing Chinese middle class hungry for high quality food products.

Agriculture continues to play a vital role in Nebraska’s worldwide export presence, especially in China. From commodities to equipment, Nebraska’s agricultural goods are in demand. That is why the Nebraska Department of Agriculture along with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln opened an office in Beijing last year to help create new opportunities for joint research along with faculty and student exchanges between the United States and China.

The Nebraska Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development are working to expand opportunities for businesses with current relationships and work to identify new prospects for expansion of business and commercial ventures in the world’s most populous nation.

Last December, I asked Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to travel to Beijing to represent the State of Nebraska at a U.S. – China workshop that focused on opportunities in agribusiness. The workshop was coordinated by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Mr. Paulson is currently the Chairman of The Paulson Institute, an independent and nonpartisan institution that promotes sustainable economic growth.

Nebraska was the only state invited to participate in the workshop. The opportunities for agricultural exports into China are endless, and I plan to continue to be actively engaged to help Nebraska maintain our competitive edge.

Leading the Nebraska China Center is Ms. Grace Gui. Ms. Gui lived in Omaha for the past thirteen years, and recently returned to China to head up the Nebraska Center. Grace spent eleven years as a senior professional at Staples and four years working in the international banking department of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. She holds a Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Information Technology Management from Creighton University, and earned her undergraduate degree in economics at the East China Normal University in Shanghai.

To maintain our competitive edge, it is important that Nebraska partners with other countries that are interested in our exports. This will be our second overseas trade office. In 2006, I established the Nebraska Center Japan in Tokyo, which has been a key partner to the Department of Economic Development in recruiting Japanese companies and helping Nebraska companies do business in Japan.

Nebraska will continue to strengthen relationships with our trading partners by attending events in Japan, Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka in the next few months and we will also continue to hosts delegations in Nebraska from Argentina, Hong Kong and China.

Gov. Heineman’s staff can be contacted at 308-632-1370.