Today, Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis conducted a roundtable in Northeast Philadelphia on USTR's plans for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Organized by the office of Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, the roundtable gave Ambassador Marantis the opportunity to solicit input from some of the Philadelphia region's stakeholders, including representatives of the Port of Philadelphia, city government, manufacturing and software industries, and local workforce training programs. The Port of Philadelphia's top two trading partners - Chile and New Zealand - are TPP member countries.
After discussing plans for the TPP with attendees, Ambassador Marantis led a discussion of North Philadelphia's trade priorities. In addition to TPP, participants discussed intellectual property protection in China, port and supply chain competitiveness, and the region's export successes and ambitions. Ambassador Marantis also shared information about the National Export Initiative - President Obama's plan to support two million additional American jobs by doubling American exports over the next five years.
After the roundtable, Ambassador Marantis drove to Exton, Pennsylvania, headquarters of Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI), which develops analysis software for national security, aerospace, defense, and space applications. Ambassador Marantis presented AGI CEO Paul Graziani with the Department of Commerce's Export Appreciation Certificate to recognize AGI's recent export successes in Brazil, South Korea, India, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other markets. AGI employs 280 people and over the past two years doubled its full-time international-focused jobs. Ambassador Marantis also delivered remarks on President Obama's National Export Initiative. This was one of several events at which members of President Obama's Export Promotion Cabinet fanned out across the country to share more information about the NEI, and help available from the Commerce Department's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, as well as other agencies, to American businesses wishing to sell their products overseas.
See more information about this National Export Initiative event in today's USTR press release at: http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2010/march/deputy-united-states-trade-representative-demetrios-.
