During your visit to Missouri, we are focusing our conversation on our mutual goal of strengthening the ties between our two countries, by establishing a Midwest Trade Hub with China, in St. Louis," Gov. Jay Nixon said in welcoming Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong to the Capitol.
Zhou called a proposed trade hub at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport "a visionary step" that will serve both sides.
The China Hub would use land north of the St. Louis airport - and its long, largely unused
runway built several years ago - to develop international trading operations.
Zhou noted his country is expanding its trading partnerships worldwide; the U.S.-China trading
industry already ranks second for each nation. (Source: Bob Watson, Jefferson City News
Tribune, Feb 2, 2010).