Oregon opens up to China's possibilities

The Pacific Northwest state of Oregon is known for its diverse landscape of forests, mountains, farms and beaches. In recent years, the state has stepped up its efforts to lure international investment and tourists, including those from China, to help boost its economy. The St. Paul Rodeo on July 4, for example, is one of the tourist attractions the state offer to travelers from home and abroad. PHOTOS BY CHANG JUN / CHINA DAILY

In recent years, the focus of the bilateral relationship shifted more toward investment, trade and export, said Lan, adding they are not forgoing education and culture.

"In order to create permanent jobs, get people paid decently and make the local economy strong, we need to strengthen the relationship with China," said Christensen.

On July 5, the Oregon House passed the Concurrent Resolution 39, which expresses the intent of the Legislative Assembly to support continued collaboration between Oregon and China, a move that makes Oregon the first American state through a type of legislation to increase trade opportunities and strengthen economic development with China.

Because of Intel and substantial agriculture exports, "China is our biggest trade partner in 2016; with $5.8 billion in Oregon exports, over 20,000 jobs in Oregon benefit from trade with China, and China is Oregon's No 1 source of international visitors," said Brown.

According to the US Department of Commerce, Oregon is among eight American states that have a trade surplus with China, and it reported a $3.7 billion trade surplus last year.

"For Oregon's economy to continue to grow, we must have access to the global economy. That's why strong partnerships with countries like China are so critical to the well-being of our state," said Brown, adding that concrete measures are in full swing.

For example, Business Oregon, or better known as the Oregon Business Development Department, has a global trade and investment team that assists SMEs to do business with China and help Chinese companies interested in investing in Oregon.

Meanwhile, export assistance and grants are offered to Oregon companies that want to exhibit at trade shows or participate in trade missions to China "to help them sell Oregon products to Chinese consumers", said Alexis Taylor, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, who was the department's former deputy undersecretary of Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.

"She has tons of experience in terms of promoting local products to the global market," said Lan.

At a recent two-day trade show in June that Taylor and her team organized for local drink makers and vendors of snack foods such as nuts, seeds and fruits, small business owners were able to showcase their products for a visiting trade group from China.

Trade mission members sampled cider, wine, mead and beer as they moved from booth to booth.

"We definitely will do more," said Taylor. Brown said the state will rely on e-commerce to help smaller companies market their products to China's growing middle class. "We have been working with various e-commerce companies to help get Oregon products to Chinese consumers," she said.

Lan and his council already took the initiative to construct "Oregon's Very Best", an e-commerce platform under construction to promote Oregon-made products in Tianjin, one of China's four municipalities well-known for manufacturing, ports, educational base and cultural heritage.

An off-line product display in the Tianjin International Sister City Pavilion, a 700-square-foot showroom at Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, is what Lan and his team are refining now in order to create for Chinese customers a favorable off-line and online integrated shopping experience.

"Only products of the best quality, the most symbolic meaning would be chosen to display," Lan said.

On July 5, Lan chaired the Oregon-China international seminar on e-commerce in Portland, which featured government officials, business owners and scholars from China and Oregon in order to promote communications and seek business solutions for SMEs.

White met members of a trade delegation from Tianjin and brainstormed with potential Chinese partners on how his company's products would gain more market exposure on a national level.

"China is humongous. Its market is multi-layered and so complicated. There is always something new to catch up on," he said.

Li Shengli, president of the Tianjin Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export, led a delegation of 20-strong business owners, investors and agriculture experts to attend the e-commerce seminar in Portland.

"We need to expedite information-sharing and collaboration to advance trade and the business relationship," the seasoned industry leader said.

"Given Tianjin's 1 million population and many of its well-off citizens, Oregon business owners will benefit from the strong consumer demand there," Li said.

Impressed by the high quality of pinot noir, riesling and blush wines he sipped at a vineyard and winery west of Portland, Li said "that's exactly the upscale American products we are looking for. I'm sure there are more surprises in Oregon than we Chinese have thought."

Contact the writer at changjun@ chinadailyusa.com