St. Louis Positions Itself as a Midwest-China Hub
World Journal
January 21, 2010
by Mimi Huang
Does China need to establish an air hub in the U.S. Midwest? Can St. Louis, MO, located in the center of America, bring about success toward future developments in U.S.-China trade? On the anniversary of the Midwest-China Hub Commission's founding, Hub Commission Chairman Michael W. Jones took part in an interview with the World Journal and talked about the future of the Midwest-China Hub.
The Midwest-China Hub Commision (MCHC) was founded in late January of 2009. Jones says, "The Midwest-China Air Hub, simply put, is the combined effort of government, NGO, and industry figures to achieve a grand plan - to construct a Midwest-China Air Hub in St. Louis, allowing Chinese airline companies to carry out transport here, turning St. Louis into the U.S. Midwest's freight hub."
The conception of a Midwest-China Air Hub has been in the works for a long time. From 2007 onward, a string of high-level activity has been occuring without break. Among these were important interviews including several visits to St. Louis in 2008 and 2009 by Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong; visits by U.S. government and business delegations to Beijing to strengthen friendly ties; foreign minister Li Zhaoxing's visit to St. Louis in 2008; and Vice Premier Wang Qishan's visit to St. Louis in 2008.
During the past two or three years, the plan for the Midwest-China Air Hub has had its ups and downs. Mid-October of last year, the plan was almost aborted due to budget cutbacks in Missouri. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon had originally set aside $300,000; fortunately, they were able to apply for the Community Development Block Grant, allowing them to collect enough for $1,100,000. With the temporary crisis, which had caused a stir in all circles in St. Louis solved, the MCHC could continue to research the market.
According to Jones, even if St. Louis were to not actively contend for a Midwest-China Air Hub, China would find some way to look for other places to establish an air hub. Currently, the majority of U.S.-China air freight is conducted mainly through Cathay Pacific, UPS and American Airlines. These airline companies account for 80 percent of freight.
Jones says that his mother once told him. "When the bus comes, you must have spare change on hand in order to get on." St. Louis possesses strong resources, good weather, location and people. The opportunity is right in view.
In the past, St. Louis was ideally located and known as the Gateway to the West. Now everyone is trying to make it the Gateway to China.
