Michigan pursues Chinese investment to reinvigorate manufacturing

By RAY WILBUR
Capital News Service
LANSING — While the presidential campaign linked job loss to outsourcing to foreign countries, Michigan’s efforts to bring Chinese investment are reinvigorating manufacturing plants that have been vacant for years. Since becoming governor in 2011, Rick Snyder has made five trips to China and has  pushed initiatives that have brought 23 Chinese companies to the state, said Josh Paciorek, the governor’s deputy press secretary. That’s created 3,541 jobs and accounts for $649.5 million invested in 11 cities, he said. During a trip there last year, Snyder signed agreements to promote trade and investment with the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Hubei, Guangdong and Zhejiang, as well as the city of Chongqing. Those regions have many auto companies and related suppliers, making them a natural fit for Michigan because of its pre-existing auto industry, Paciorek said.