US California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger began a week-long trade mission to China, Japan and South Korea on Thursday to promote, among others, California's fruit exports.
Governor Schwarzenegger said a similar 2005 mission to China opened the doors to California strawberry exports.
Japan, China and South Korea are the third, fifth and sixth-largest export destinations for California agriculture products respectively, the governor's office said.
The state's agriculture, business, transport and labour secretaries have accompanied the governor, together with around 100 business leaders and officials.
Meanwhile, Washington state governor Chris Gregoire left today (Monday) on an 11-day trade mission to China and Vietnam to develop the state's apple and cherry exports.
Agriculture officials credit a similar 2005 trade delegation with opening the China market for cherries.
Officials say this mission's challenge is to gain access to the Vietnamese market for cherries and lift China's tight trade barriers for apples, which restrict imports to Red and Golden Delicious varieties.
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