Bond Secures $500,000 for the St. Louis Midwest China Hub
United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond
December 15, 2009
http://bond.senate.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that he secured $500,000 in federal funds to support Missouri business, grow jobs and open markets for Missouri products through the Midwest China Hub Commission (MCHC) in St. Louis.
"The Midwest cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and miss the economic opportunities available to businesses and workers on the East and West Coasts," said Senator Kit Bond. "The new Midwest -- China Hub will show the world that the leaders of this City and this region are committed to making St. Louis accessible and a good place to do business."
"I am very grateful for the tremendous support United States Senator Kit Bond has consistently provided toward our important economic development needs," said St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. "His support for the Midwest-China Hub Commission and St. Louis Community College's BioBench and Training Center will go a long way in spurring our economy and creating new jobs, and funding for the Wellston Developmental Child Care Center will help meet the growing need for affordable quality childcare education."
Bond secured the $500,000 in funds in the 2010 omnibus spending bill, which passed the U.S. Senate on December 13th. The funds will help the MCHC establish a Chinese freight airline hub which will develop new markets for Midwestern products. The hub will help increase exports of Midwestern products to China and create new jobs in Missouri through business development.
Specifically, the funds Bond secured will help the MCHC enter a new phase of development. This phase involves the identification and recruitment of freight forwarders and new shippers within the catchment area. In addition, a food processing or packaging operation will be implemented in the foreign trade zone around the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. This will allow Missouri businesses to process their commodities for shipment to new markets in China. The phase also includes the rehabilitation of an old airport building, which will handle freight to and from trucks and planes.
For almost three years, Senator Bond, members of the Missouri congressional delegation, and state and local officials, worked to establish St. Louis as the hub for transportation and commerce between the Midwest and China. The MCHC builds on this effort and serves as a consortium to facilitate the expanding group of U.S. and Chinese businesses and governmental organizations working together. The MCHC helps Chinese companies and investors access the Midwest more easily and directly, and assists U.S. companies seeking to do business in China. The commission is currently comprised of the State of Missouri Department of Economic Development, County of St. Louis, City of St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Regional Chamber & Growth Association, Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, St. Louis County Economic Council, World Trade Center -- St. Louis, and Missouri Partnership. Each organization commits important resources, including funding and personnel, to the commission.
Also, last week, Bond announced that he was named as Vice Chairman of the U.S.-China Inter-Parliamentary Group. Bond, along with Democratic Senator Patty Murray will be co-leading the Senate's highest-level delegation to China. The delegation will travel to China next month, where among other economic, trade, and international issues, Bond will work to promote the Midwest China Hub project.
