Politics on the Hudson

State senators who are part of a nine-day trip to China this morning put out a news release touting the trip as a trade mission to help New York’s economy.

Here’s the release:

“Senate President Pro Tem Malcolm A. Smith and Senate Majority Conference Leader John L. Sampson, in cooperation with The Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC), have organized “Invest in New York,” a trade mission to China which will visit Beijing, Nanjing, Changzhou and Shanghai, from October 9 – 18. The purpose of the trade mission is to promote inward investment in New York State, spur economic growth and create jobs.

Nanjing, the capitol of Jiangsu Province, will host the key event of the trade mission—the 20th anniversary celebration of the Sister-State agreement between New York State and Jiangsu Province. The Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress and leaders of the New York delegation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on expanding and deepening cooperation between Jiangsu and New York.

The signing of the MOU will reinforce the New York State-Jiangsu Province Joint Economic Commission Agreement signed on April 22, 2009, by Governor Paterson and Jiangsu Vice Governor Li Xiaomin. The agreement focuses on five key sectors of the economy: clean technology, life sciences, financial services, education and information technology/nanotechnology.