Huntsman boosting Utah-Mexico ties

MEXICO CITY — Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s first foreign trip since taking office isn't a trade mission, but beginning today he'll push his "partnership for prosperity" program here as a key piece of his economic development agenda.

"This is an overall, relationship-enhancing mission," Huntsman said of the four-day visit that will include a meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox on Wednesday. Meetings with other Mexican officials are also planned.

The governor, who arrived in the Mexican capital Monday evening, is scheduled to sit down today with American officials, including U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza and representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico.

"It's a great honor for us in Mexico," said Consul General of Mexico for Utah Salvador Jimenez, who will be on hand for Huntsman's meeting with Fox. "We appreciate and value that gesture."

Huntsman said he intends to focus his international economic development efforts on just four countries — Mexico, China, India and Canada. Over the next 20 years, the governor said, they "will be the key markets for Utah."

He's launching his "partnership for prosperity" program here in Mexico. The program, which Huntsman said he will review today with the U.S. ambassador, is aimed at promoting not just economic development and enhanced tourism but also education and cultural exchanges.

In Mexico, the governor said that means working toward more direct flights between Salt Lake City and Mexico City, as well as bringing Mexican teachers into Utah's public schools to help Spanish-speaking students learn English. Cultural exchanges will be consider next month, when Utah Department of Community and Culture Yvette Diaz visits Mexico.

The details of the new program are expected to be finalized in the fall. That's when Fox, who will be formally invited by the governor to visit Utah, is most likely to make the trip. Huntsman said if the Mexican president is unavailable, another government official would likely be sent to Utah to sign the documents that will make the program official.

The governor said he hopes to lead two traditional trade missions to Mexico within the next six months to offer "matchmaking" services between companies in Utah and Mexico. One mission, Huntsman said, would focus on biosciences such as the pharmaceutical industry. The other would deal with manufacturing, including automobile air bags.

Unlike the trade missions led by former governors, Huntsman isn't taking along Utah business executives or community leaders. Instead, the governor said, he wants to focus on establishing ties for the state with Mexican leaders.