International Trade and Development

As China and other countries that attracted U.S. businesses in the past face some of those same issues that prompted their moves overseas, many U.S. and foreign businesses are looking to move to the U.S. “A lot of the same issues are happening in China as has happened in other countries as they move from developing economies to a developed economy,” said Chris Steele, chief operating officer at Investment Consulting Associates, an international company that offers advice on foreign direct investment and site selection. “You’re starting to see more of a demand for commodities, as well as for labor and it’s fundamentally changing the dynamics of that marketplace.”

Stateline Midwest ~ February 2013

With the North American economy becoming ever more integrated, delays at the U.S.-Canada border have the potential to cost more and more money.With the North American economy becoming ever more integrated, delays at the U.S.-Canada border have the potential to cost more and more money.

Stateline Midwest ~ Issue Brief

The U.S. and Canadian economies are closely intertwined, but barriers to optimal trade remain an issue. States and provinces can and should have a role in helping remove these barriers.

Economic integration between neighboring states and nations is no longer a looming probability; it’s a global reality. Participants learned how their state’s small and medium-sized businesses can compete and thrive through innovative approaches from Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño, CSG’s current president, and Canadian Ambassador and former Manitoba Premier Gary Doer. Both Fortuño and Doer are leaders in finding ways to develop short- and long-term economic progress and in developing solutions to help American businesses compete in the new global economy.