Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, shown before meeting President Joe Biden at the Portland Airport on April 21, is flying to Vietnam for a trade mission. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Gov. Kate Brown is traveling to Vietnam for another trade mission, just weeks before she leaves office.
Brown left Friday and will return Nov. 18. During her time in Vietnam, she plans to promote Oregon products.
“From semiconductors to the apparel industry to wheat and produce, Vietnam is a critical trading partner for Oregon,” Brown said in a statement. “As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, it’s important for us to maintain our cooperation around trade and investment, educational exchanges, and economic development.”
Brown recently returned from a 12-day trip to Japan and South Korea, where she promoted Oregon goods including wine, blackberries and raspberries and urged foreign companies to invest in Oregon’s semiconductor industry. At the time, she said the visits were important to maintain Oregon’s relationships with trading partners.
According to Brown’s office, Vietnam is Oregon’s eighth-largest export market. In 2021, the state exported $1 billion in goods to the country, largely because of electronics and computer parts imported by Intel’s testing and assembly plant in Vietnam.
Vietnam also imported $24 million worth of Oregon agricultural goods, primarily wheat, last year.
Brown will travel with representatives from Business Oregon, the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Portland State University, and the Port of Portland. She plans to participate in women’s leadership meetings and meet with representatives from Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear and Adidas, all of which have offices in both Oregon and Vietnam. It wasn’t immediately clear how long the trip has been planned.
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