EVERETT — Some local leaders traveled across the globe this week to raise Snohomish County’s profile in the world’s biggest marketplace — China.
A county delegation and their counterparts from a municipal government in China reached an agreement Wednesday that aims to boost agriculture and other industries.
County Executive Dave Somers and County Councilman Brian Sullivan made the announcement from Shenzhen, a bustling port city immediately north of Hong Kong. They traveled there with a trade delegation of business, government and university figures from the Puget Sound region.
“This is a great agreement for Snohomish County,” Somers said in a press release. “… With Shenzhen’s strategic location and access to huge markets, we hope to increase the visibility of Snohomish County’s agricultural products.”
Washington state looms large in U.S.-China trade. It exports more goods to the People’s Republic, by dollar value, than any other state.
China is Washington’s largest trading partner, ahead of Canada and Japan.
The largest share of that trade comes in the form of Boeing jets and other aerospace products. When Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to the Pacific Northwest in September, he flew into Everett and visited the Boeing factory adjacent to Paine Field.
Agriculture accounts for the second-largest share of Washington’s China-bound exports. It’s also Snohomish County’s second-largest industry, with yearly production worth an estimated $139 million, according to a farm census conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dairy products, wheat and seeds for cabbage, swiss chard and spinach are some of the biggest local farming exports, said Linda Neunzig, the county’s agricultural coordinator.
Wednesday’s agreement aims to help Snohomish County-based companies and institutions establish a presence in China, while doing the same for Shenzhen-based companies that want to set up here.
Sitting on the other side of the negotiating table were officials from the Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality.
“I’m excited that they will have the opportunity to tap into the massive Chinese market and in the process create jobs and opportunity back home,” Sullivan said in the press release.
The Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle arranged the weeklong mission to Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The delegation of several dozen included elected leaders from the Puget Sound region’s largest local governments and marquee companies.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray made the trip, as did representatives from King County, Bellevue and the Port of Seattle. Executives from Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon and Vulcan also participated. So did delegates from the University of Washington and Washington State University.
Also representing Snohomish County was trade and economic development director Kendee Yamaguchi.
The trip cost $5,250 per person plus airfare. Snohomish County funds paid for Somers, Sullivan and Yamaguchi to participate.
Also during the trip, Seattle officials announced the first U.S. service by China’s Xiamen Airlines. Direct connections to Xiamen and Shenzhen from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are set to begin in September.
UW Medicine and a Shenzhen-based genomics organization signed a memorandum of understanding about biotechnology. The cities of Seattle and Shenzhen committed to cooperate more closely on medical research and health care.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
