The United Kingdom announced Tuesday it will open trade offices in Minneapolis and two other U.S. cities.
The three offices — the others will be in Raleigh, N.C., and San Diego — will work on promoting U.K. businesses and building new economic ties. The offices will be similar to ones that the U.K. has in Denver and Seattle.
"With the Twin Cities' leadership in areas ranging from food to health care and with the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters per capita in the U.S., there are many opportunities to strengthen the bonds and trade relationship between Minnesota and the U.K.," International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said in a statement.
Fox, who was appointed Britain's top trade official two weeks ago by new Prime Minister Theresa May, is on a three-day visit to the U.S. One of Fox's aims is to reassure American trade officials and corporate leaders that Great Britain is still committed to close economic ties with the U.S. despite last month's referendum to leave the E.U., a vote widely seen as a protectionist move.
He announced the new trade offices in a speech in Chicago. Minneapolis, Raleigh and San Diego were chosen because of their economic productivity and research and development institutions, a statement said. Each office will be staffed by one officer recruited locally in the United States.
This model has worked well in Denver and Seattle, according to the U.K. government. The Seattle office helped deliver about $10.5 million in capital investment and 1,000 U.K. jobs in the past year.
The U.K. also has trade offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta and Miami.
Two countries, Canada and Mexico, conduct trade promotion and other services from consulates in the Twin Cities. The U.K. is the ninth-biggest buyer of Minnesota exports.
Fox met with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman in Washington and travels to Los Angeles after his stop in Chicago.
Adam Belz • 612-673-4405
Twitter: @adambelz
