USF Involvement in California Foreign Trade Offices

by Stanley Kwong

Associate Dean Thomas Grossman and Professor Stanley Kwong joined  Governor Jerry Brown and Assembly Speaker John Perez to sign the historical legislation (Assembly Bill 2012) to reopen California's shuttered foreign trade offices in China.

The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) clears the way for the Bay Area Council to operate California's foreign trade offices in China.  The suddenly well-staffed and relatively well-funded GO-Biz will work on permit streamlining, economic development, small business assistance, encouraging innovation and international trade.

Bay Area Council has picked expanding trade between China and California as one of the "Lead" priorities, as well as improving the business climate in 2012.  AB 2012 is a key step in that process for both priorities.  Access to China's rapidly growing markets is vital to California's economic success.  China not only is the world's second largest economy, but also its fastest growing economy, with an average growth rate of 10 percent over the last 30 years.  For California, a state that leads in foreign exports among its U.S. peers, China is a critical player, coming in as the state's third largest export market.
Governor Brown signs the AB2012.

A lively discussion with former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, former Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean, and Mayor Willie Brown about the political dynamics swirling around the upcoming Presidential Election.
Grossman and Kwong interact with a Bay Area Council Executive Member.