Quinn going to China on Friday

Gov. Pat Quinn leaves Friday on an eight-day trade mission to China in search of new export opportunities and investments for Illinois businesses as unemployment in the state continues to rise.

The Chicago Democrat will lead a 30-member delegation of business, education and political leaders that includes Decatur-based agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland. The company announced Thursday it had an agreement to build on its business in China and greatly increase its soybean supply there.

“I want to be the exporter in chief from the state of Illinois. We want to make sure that every business that can reach the global economy and the world out there learns how export and makes a lot of money and creates a lot of jobs doing it,” Quinn said after an unrelated press conference in Chicago.

Illinois is already an active exporter to China. For example, the Illinois Soybean Association said China is the No. 1 customer for exported Illinois soybeans.

The trip, Quinn’s first visit to China, includes stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. A Quinn spokeswoman said the governor and the delegation were paying their own travel costs. The state will spend $133,000 on other costs associated with the excursion. That funding, they said, would come from a fund dedicated to promoting and marketing the state that is partially funded by the hotel-motel tax.

Quinn said the benefits outweigh the money the state will spend on the trip.

“It’s important that we invest in robust export initiatives and also robust efforts to get investment in Illinois in job creation,” he said.

Quinn’s excursion comes amid news that Illinois’ unemployment rate jumped to 9.9 percent in August from 9.5 percent in July. Quinn said increasing exports, along with business investments from China, was a way to help stimulate Illinois’ economy. He also said the trip would be another chance to encourage tourism to Illinois from the sprawling country.

Agricultural and manufacturing groups said Quinn’s trip could bring real benefits for the state.

“We have the products for sale and whatever we can sell helps our markets,” said Rich Guebert, vice president of the Illinois Farm Bureau and one of the delegates on the trip.

Jim Nelson, vice president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, agreed.

“China is on the cusp of requiring massive influxes of raw, partially finished and finished materials to feed into their (manufacturing) cycle,” Nelson said.

Illinois is no stranger to China and its businesses. Some Chinese companies already have invested in ventures here, Illinois companies do business in China and Chinese President Hu Jintao visited earlier this year after meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House.

“It means money, it means jobs and it means recognition of the quality of what Illinois is able to produce,” said Mike Levin, director of issues management and analysis for the Illinois Soybean Association.

As part of the trip, ADM said Quinn would witness the signing of an agreement for ADM to supply 180,000 metric tons of soybeans to a company for the Chinese market.

“Illinois soy farmers are playing an important role in meeting this demand, and we are proud to be able to join Governor Quinn as he continues to work toward connecting our state’s growers with fast-growing global markets,” ADM spokeswoman Jessie McKinney said in a statement.