World Trade Center St. Louis (WTC) established the Asia Trade Desk to provide specialized support to Missouri companies seeking to do business in Asian markets. Services include:

• Technical training and informational seminars on how to do business in Asia
• Market research and trade statistics on countries, commodities and industries
• Trade missions and company introductions through high-level government channels

In January 2012, the WTC partnered with former United States Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond to lead a trade mission to Indonesia. Twenty-three participants from eight companies and four universities joined the mission, including representatives from Emerson, Boeing, Monsanto, Peabody, University of Missouri Columbia and St. Louis, Washington University in St. Louis, and Webster University.

There has been tremendous business development as a direct result of this introduction to Indonesia.

Recent events have offered Missouri companies unique opportunities to cultivate trade relationships in China and much of Asia. Most notably:

• Numerous senior-level Chinese delegations have visited Missouri to set up an international airfreight hub between St. Louis and Shanghai
• For three years, China has ranked third among Missouri’s international buyers and has become an increasingly significant export market for the Missouri economy
• South Korea recently completed a free trade agreement with the U.S.
• Trans-Pacific Partnership liberalizing trade among many Pacific rim countries.