Image Credit: tnecd.com
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced that he will visit Asia this week for “strategic international recruiting.”
Lee, along with Deputy Governor and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, plans to meet with existing Tennessee-based companies Quanta Manufacturing, Hyosung HICO, LG Chem, and Bridgestone, as well as several additional prospects in hopes of bringing partnerships to the state. Their itinerary includes Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.
“Tennessee is a global leader for its pro-business climate, low taxes and highly skilled workforce, and we’re proud to showcase what makes our state a top destination for industry and innovation,” said Lee. “As states across the nation compete for world-class companies, it’s our responsibility to cultivate strong international relationships and strategic partnerships that demonstrate Tennessee’s unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and prosperity for Tennesseans.”
Currently the state operates five foreign direct investments (FDI) offices across Europe and Asia with the purpose of strengthening relationships with global companies. Tennessee will be opening a sixth FDI office in Taiwan.
McWhorter said, “Combined, companies across Taiwan, South Korea and Japan employ more than 60,000 Tennesseans, which we believe is a clear reflection of our state’s long-standing commitment to building strong international relationships.”
While in Tokyo, Lee and McWhorter will attend the 47th SEUS-Japan Annual Meeting. This meeting is an opportunity for seven southeastern states to celebrate economic and cultural relationships with international business leaders while also creating new potential partnerships.
Tennessee will serve as host of next year’s SEUS-Japan Annual Meeting.