Business leaders and the World Trade Center St. Louis are planning a trade delegation to China in December, the most recent in a string of efforts to deepen the region’s ties with the world’s fastest-growing large economy.

The trip, led by former Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, will include stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou the first week of December, and officials will meet with civic and business leaders, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

China is the third-biggest destination for exports from Missouri, and many large local companies have operations there.

The World Trade Center St. Louis and consulting firm Kit Bond Strategies took a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, in January to seek trade opportunities and education ties.