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Doyle gives state a call from China
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by Jessi Polsky
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Gov. Jim Doyle discussed opportunities for new economic ties between Wisconsin and China in a conference call from Beijing Monday.
The upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and 2010 World Expo in Shanghai require China to drastically improve and expand its infrastructure systems as the number of people attending these events necessitates a substantial increase in construction. According to Doyle, Wisconsin produces state-of-the-art equipment that could find a huge market in burgeoning China.
"There is an enormous amount of construction that is going on [in China, and] they really need the cranes and other equipment that is manufactured [in Wisconsin]," Doyle said. "It’s amazing to see the kind of efforts that are underway in Beijing to get the city ready."
According to Doyle, the meetings with businessmen during this trip were aimed at helping further economic growth for the state through large deals with China.
"Much of this is what will happen after the meetings [by] leading to some investments," Doyle said. "This is really kind of a sales mission we’re on."
Doyle said the trip thus far has been very positive and that he is pleased with the number of connections made between Chinese and Wisconsin businessmen. The trip’s goal is to pitch high-quality, complicated manufactured products to the Chinese — a category of goods, Doyle said, which has potential for export throughout the world.
"If you want to buy high-quality, highly sophisticated products that require highly-trained workers, Wisconsin is the place to go," Doyle said. "They’re increasingly looking at Wisconsin for biotech areas [and] medical equipment."
Doyle added that the mission has been successful for Wisconsin businesses, as existing deals have been expanded and new deals have been created. The prevalence of business ties demonstrates the state’s strong presence in China.
A central export to China, Doyle said, is cancer treatment equipment produced in the state.
"The People’s Liberation Hospital [uses] sophisticated radiation treatment which is state of the art. This hospital is the biggest in the world in the number of patients treated," Doyle said. "They have a whole floor which is devoted to this treatment."
Accprding to Doyle, a truck manufacturing company in Oshkosh — which is currently exporting to China — received an order for more snow removal vehicles.
Ed Friedman, a University of Wisconsin international business professor, said the reason Doyle is in China is solely to aid Wisconsin businesses, as China has the fastest growing economy in the world. China’s growing market has lots of needs, Friedman added, and many states throughout the United States are trying to tap into this new, rapidly expanding market.
"[Doyle] went to bring investments to create jobs in the state," Friedman said. "He wouldn’t be going back (to China) if this weren’t the case."
Friedman said it is particularly important for states in the Midwest to reach out to countries around the world.
"They know about the two coasts," Friedman said. "But when you’re from Wisconsin you have to make sure they know we exist."
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