June 1st, 2015 by WCBC Radio
Governor Larry Hogan met with Vice Premier Madame Liu Yandong in Zhongnanhai, which serves as the central headquarters for the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Madame Yandong is the vice premier of the State Council and a member of the Political Bureau (Politburo) of the China Central Committee. They were joined by First Lady Yumi Hogan, Secretary of State John Wobensmith, Secretary of the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs Jimmy Rhee, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development Ben Wu, University of Maryland, Baltimore President Dr. Jay Perman, and Christy Wyskiel, senior advisor to Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels.
The meeting reinforced Governor Hogan’s focus on fostering high-level ties and cooperation with the Chinese government. The state of Maryland has a strong business, trade, and education presence in China. There are currently over 50 Maryland-headquartered companies with physical operations in China. Leading Maryland universities, including the University of Maryland, College Park, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and Johns Hopkins University, also have long-standing educational exchanges with China.
“I’d like to thank Madame Yandong for taking part in this ongoing discussion and continued relationship between Maryland and China,” said Governor Hogan. “Today, we reinforced the importance of having a strong relationship as we work to improve our ties in the areas of international business, investment, trade, education, and technology.”
This year marks the 35th anniversary of a sister agreement between Maryland and China’s Anhui Province. It’s the oldest sister state relationship with our state. Secretary of State John Wobensmith will visit the Anhui Province later this month in celebration of the anniversary.
Maryland has long maintained a strong presence in China, becoming the first U.S. state in 1996 to open a trade and investment office in China – the Maryland China Center. In 2014, Maryland exported $714 million in goods and services to China, making it Maryland’s third-largest export market, according to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Additionally, Chinese direct foreign investment in Maryland continues to grow with 19 Chinese-headquartered companies located in our state.
Governor Hogan is leading a 23-member delegation, made up of corporate, education, and public officials, to visit China June 1-3, 2015. Governor Hogan has been in Korea since May 26 as part of a 12-day trade mission to Korea, China, and Japan, the goal of which is to strengthen economic development ties with the region and foster positive relations between the Hogan administration and key Asian officials and business leaders.
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