07/19/2006   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Gov. Schwarzenegger Outlines the State's Competitive Advantages in International Trade, Ongoing Successes of International Trade Missions

Gov. Schwarzenegger highlighted California ports, intellectual capital, geography, diversity and world-class products as the reasons the state will continue its expansion into global trade and leadership in the international marketplace in a lunchtime speech to the Commonwealth Club.

"When I campaigned, I promised to be a super salesman for our state and that's exactly what I've done," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "I will go anywhere in the world, to sell California products, to offer our high-tech and environmental know-how, to promote tourism, to sell our agricultural products and our unbelievable wine.  This is part of my commitment to bring back California's economy."

As the gateway to the Pacific Rim, California is uniquely placed to extend the enormous role international trade and tourism already plays in our economy. A half million California jobs are tied directly to the $100 billion foreign companies have invested in our state. Another million jobs are tied to California trade and exports, and nearly a fifth of all U.S. foreign trade passes through California - an amazing $436 billion of goods just last year. More than 40 percent of the nation's total container cargo is handled by California's ports in Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland.

Fulfilling his campaign promise, Gov. Schwarzenegger traveled to Tokyo, Japan in 2004 and to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, China in 2005. During each of those trips, the Governor used his celebrity to advertise California's products to the world and used his stature to bring together business leaders and government officials. Gov. Schwarzenegger's next planned trade mission is to Mexico in August. 

The Governor's international trade missions have contributed to a number of deals: 

• Famima, a chain of high-end convenience stores was looking to expand in the U.S. After its CEO saw a billboard of the Governor with the tagline "Arnold Says: California Wants Your Business," the company, with the help of the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth (Jobs Commission), decided to open its first outlet last year in Los Angeles. In a letter to the Jobs Commission, the president and CEO of Famima said: "The long anticipated launch is attributed to the inspiration which we obtained from the Governor's recent trip to Tokyo, promoting California as a business friendly state." Five more stores have opened since, and Famima plans to open 200 more in California in the next 5 years. Famima's expansion into the state could create 4,000 jobs.
   
• Air China has expanded their maintenance agreement with United Services, the maintenance division of United Airlines. Based at SFO, United Services will overhaul Boeing 747 and 777 engines for Air China. Before his trip to China, the Governor sent a letter encouraging Air China to consider using the California-based maintenance center. The deal is worth millions of dollars.
   
• Following a 12-year campaign to gain access to the China market, California plums are now welcome in China. "Thanks to the consistent efforts of industry leaders, researchers and government officials, including advocacy from Governor Schwarzenegger's office during a trade trip in November 2005, fresh plum growers from 5 California counties now have access to one of the world's most exciting markets," said a press release issued by the California Tree Fruit Agreement.

• Worldwide Aeros, a blimp company that participated in a Beijing trade show, entered into a launch partner agreement with China Far East International Tendering Company (CFEITC) to develop and market a new family of freighting air vehicles, called the Aeroscraft. "This agreement is the first result of our trip to China with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his 'Made in California Expo' that took place last month," said Aeros' president Igor Pasternak in a press release.
   
• McWong Environmental and Energy Group traveled to China with the California delegation and signed $18 million worth of contracts to install wastewater treatment facilities for China's biggest steel producer. The Governor hand delivered letters to the head of the steel company on his trip to China.

"California is the easiest product I have ever had to sell," said the Governor. "My contribution is to promote California and to bring business leaders together. They do the hard work by building fantastic products and services that make our state so great." 

In order to keep pace with the state's growing trade needs, the Governor and legislature agreed on the bipartisan Strategic Growth Plan to expand our ports and roads to facilitate goods movement. Included in the $20 billion transportation bond is $3.1 billion to relieve traffic congestion along major trade corridors, improve freight rail facilities and enhance the movement of goods from port to marketplace, and another $1 billion for air quality improvements that will achieve emission reductions from activities related to port operations and freight movement.

     About Aeros:

Aeros is the world's leading lighter-than-air, FAA-certified aircraft manufacturing company.  The company's operations involve the research, development, production, operation and marketing of a complete family of Aeros-branded air vehicles used in government and commercial applications. These include non-rigid FAA Type Certified Aeros 40D Sky Dragon Airships, Advanced Tethered Aerostatic Systems and New Type Rigid Air Vehicle - Aeroscraft.  

Contact:
Edward Pevzner
Business Development Manager
Tel. 818 344-3999 x 106
Edward@AerosML.com



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