Strengthen business ties, promote international trade
More than ever, we need to grow Alaska's presence in the global economy to create more Alaskan opportunity.
This economic trade mission with energy and seafood officials in Europe next week will focus on increasing international trade in seafood and
building on the state's global reputation as a leader in oil and gas production.
The trip is part of a larger state effort to promote international trade and attract foreign direct investment. 2011 exports may exceed 2010 exports by as much as 30%.
Source: 2011 gubernatorial press release #5953
, Oct 29, 2011
Develop rare earth minerals to beat China trade quota
If we want our economy to become even more dynamic, we must also look to our untapped resources. Few people have ever heard of rare earth minerals, but rare earth minerals are of increasing importance in the world economy. These rare earth elements are
used in almost every piece of electronic equipment. Today, our Pacific Rim neighbor, China, controls 97% of the world market for these rare earth elements. Recently, China imposed trade quotas and increased tariffs on these precious commodities. And,
China announced it is substantially reducing access to these rare earth elements. These policies will cost Americans more of our hard-earned money and jeopardize national security. We cannot afford to rely on foreign sources to meet our nation's demand.
And you know what; there may be no reason to. Alaska is a storehouse of rare earth minerals. Let's explore them. We should work together to fund a strategic assessment of these minerals to determine, once again, how Alaska can help meet America's needs.
