International relationships strengthen all of our communities
I recently traveled to Mexico City with Governor Inslee, Agriculture Secretary Derek Sandison and a leadership delegation from the Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
Most of us know that we are the most trade-dependent state in the nation, with up to one in every three jobs supported by trade. That is easy to imagine when considering we rank #3 among states in international trade, behind only California and New York, and ahead of states like Texas and Florida.
Canada and Mexico are two of our top export markets, so a healthy relationship with our North American neighbors is very important to our local economy and critical to helping our country tackle some of our most pressing issues – drug enforcement, human trafficking, climate change and poverty. Friendship and collaboration beyond our borders build critical pathways for cultural understanding and commerce.
Our message to our hosts in Mexico was that Washington is open for business and is welcoming bilateral trade and investment. This is a critical time to deliver such a message because of the high level of uncertainty and anxiety created by the Trump Administration’s previous rhetoric involving these trading partners.
You can read my opinion article that appeared on page 21 of the May 19 edition of the Puget Sound Business Journal.