Burlington, Vt.- Lt. Governor Brian Dubie today summarized the accomplishments of a Peace & Trade Mission to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which left Burlington on October 13 and returned October 23. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce organized the mission on behalf of Vermont employers and state government.

The primary goal of the mission, Dubie said, was to increase business in Asia for Vermont companies, thereby increasing job opportunities here at home for Vermonters. Building relationships and a positive dialogue with government, education and business leaders was also a priority. “International relationships have never been more important than they are today,” Dubie said. “I feel strongly that we need healthy dialogues to promote peace as well as commerce.”

The delegation representing Vermont was made up of state officials, including the Lt. Governor and Secretary of Commerce Kevin Dorn, as well as representatives of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce and several Vermont companies that currently do business in, or would like to expand into, Asian markets.

Below are some of the accomplishments of the mission:

Concepts, NREC of Wilder, Vermont signed a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Aeromeasurement Research Institute that paves the way for a sale of aviation testing equipment to the Chinese state-owned company.

Clean Earth Technology of North Ferrisburg and the Vermont Environmental Consortium both expanded their existing presence in the region as sellers of environmental engineering services and equipment.

Lieutenant Governor Dubie, Secretary Dorn, and Curtis Picard of the Vermont Chamber met with IIL of Hong Kong, on behalf of J.Smart of Burlington, about the Hong Kong firm’s interest in buying more of J.Smart’s software.

Lieutenant Governor Dubie and Secretary Dorn met with a Taipei firm called Destiny, which buys microchips from IBM Essex Junction, about the possibility of opening a Vermont office.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters held promising talks with a 150-outlet chain of coffee shops in Taiwan and China about selling Green Mountain Coffee there.

Lieutenant Governor Dubie met with VPs of China Eastern Airlines, Boeing and GE Aircraft Engines, on behalf of the roughly 25 Vermont companies that sell products and services into the vast aerospace marketplace.

The mission succeeded in raising the profile of Vermont and its representatives in the region. The delegation joined Chris Barbieri for the opening of Vermont’s new Shanghai office. The mission received favorable and extensive media attention.

Dubie spoke forcefully, with government and business people at each stop, about the need to respect Intellectual Property rights of Vermont companies. He made it clear that stealing proprietary Vermont designs and reproducing them in Asia will not be tolerated.

A representative from the Vermont Peace Academy discussed student exchange with the principal of a Shanghai High School. Lieutenant Governor Dubie toured a Taiwan high school, and met with parents of Lyndon Institute students from Taiwan. He talked with student recruiters about expanding efforts to attract more Asian students to attend Vermont schools, at primary, secondary and college levels.

Lieutenant Governor Dubie met with top government officials in each city, and received briefings on a broad range of issues from trade and security issues to Taiwan’s response to SARS, to earthquake and natural disaster response.

Announcements will be forthcoming on specific initiatives as discussions progress between delegation members and their Asian contacts.

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