An Alaska Airlines jet passes the air traffic control tower at Los Angles International Airport (LAX) during take-off on April 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.(Xinhua/AFP PHOTO)
SAN FRANCISCO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- An Alaskan trade delegation left Saturday for China on a 10-day trade mission to expand business opportunities in the world's second largest economies, an Alaskan media outlet reported.
The group includes the Alaska Gasline Development Corp, which is the state's major energy infrastructure developer, seafood companies, a baby food company and an Anchorage brewery. Its goal is to increase trade ties between Alaska and China, according to a report of the website taku105.com.
The mission, which has over 40 members, consists of representatives from more than 20 businesses, as well as state officials and politicians.
They want to sell not only Alaska's seafood and gas, but also beer to Chinese consumers during the 10-day China trip.
David McCarthy, a member of the trade delegation and also the co-owner of Denali Visions 3000 company that owns the 49th State Brewing Co., told local media on Thursday that he hopes to expand the brewery's reach and get Alaska beer into Chinese hands.
The delegation will visit the major Chinese cities of Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province in southwest China.
In March, Alaska Governor Bill Walker's office announced that the governor will lead a trade mission to China in May for talks with Chinese decision-makers to expand the northwesternmost U.S. region's markets.
According to Chinese official data, China has been the largest trade partner and export destination of Alaska since 2011.
Walker's office said Alaska exported more than 1.32 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods to China in 2017.