November 11, 2022 10:20 a.m.

On Thursday Governor Kate Brown announced details of her trip to Vietnam to attend the Vietnam-U.S. Trade Forum 2022.

A release said Brown is there until November 18th. She will promote trade, exports, education and strategic partnerships. Joining Brown as part of the delegation are representatives from the public and private sectors, including representatives from Business Oregon, the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Portland State University, and the Port of Portland.

Brown said, “From semiconductors to the apparel industry, Vietnam is a critical trading partner for Oregon”. Brown said, “As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, its important for us to maintain our cooperation around trade and investment, educational exchanges and economic development”.

The release said Vietnam is Oregon’s eighth largest export market, with over $1 billion in exports in 2021. That’s in large part due to Vietnam’s significant manufacturing sector. Since the opening of Intel’s testing and assembly plant in Vietnam in 2010, electronics and computer part exports from Oregon to Vietnam have grown significantly, making up nearly 80 percent of Oregon’s trade with Vietnam in 2021. Shoe components are another major export. Vietnam is Oregon’s tenth largest market for agriculture, food and beverages with more than $24 million in exports in 2021, most of which was Oregon wheat.

Brown’s release said since she took office in 2015, Oregon exports have risen 49 percent, the sixth largest increase in exports in the nation during the period. During the pandemic, Oregon was one of only six states to see positive export growth between 2019 and 2020. Nearly 6,000 Oregon companies export internationally, and 83,000 Oregon jobs are supported by exports.

While in Vietnam, Brown will participate in bilateral trade meetings with government leaders, business development meetings, and women’s leadership meetings. She will also meet with representatives of companies with operations in Oregon and Vietnam, including Nike, Intel, Columbia Sportswear and Adidas.