MCALLEN, RGV – McAllen Economic Development Corporation is taking a trade delegation back to China for the second time this year.
The group has never visited the world’s most populous country twice in one year before. McAllen EDC President Keith Patridge says this is an indication of just how much interest Chinese manufacturing firms have in opening plants on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“It is a combination of the tariffs, the provisions under USMCA, and the fact that China is no longer a low-cost operation,” Patridge told the Rio Grande Guardian, in an exclusive interview.
“Because of USMCA, because of the tariffs issue, because of the size of the market here, they (Chinese manufacturers) are saying, we need to be in North America. So, the question then is, where?”
The upcoming trip to the city of Shenzhen, China, will take place Oct. 7-13. An MEDC delegation that included McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, visited Shanghai and Shenzhen July 13-22.
In his interview, Patridge said McAllen EDC’s connections to China have blossomed thanks to the work of a husband and wife team from that country. He did not wish to name the couple.
Editor’s Note: Click on the link above to hear KEDT 90.3 FM’s story previewing McAllen EDC’s upcoming trip to China. It was edited by Lon Gonzalez, news director for KEDT. KEDT is the NPR station for Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend area of Texas. KEDT has a tie-up with the Rio Grande Guardian.
Editor’s Note: The main image accompanying the above news story shows Shenzhen, China.
