Utah vies for China's outsourcing

When Gov. Gary Herbert went to China in 2011, there were five other governors there, Salt Lake Chamber spokesman Marty Carpenter told KSL.

So clearly, Utah isn't the only state vying for money from China, but it does have some things other states don't. For example, the former governor of Utah was the U.S. Ambassador to China, and Salt Lake City and Beijing have both been home to the Olympics. These give Utah a leg up on the competition, Carpenter told KSL.

If Chinese companies choose not to invest in Utah, the state could still benefit if even some of the millions of added tourists coming from China decide to vacation in Utah.

"The fact of the matter is, in Utah, some of our best products can't actually be shipped to China. But, when Chinese consumers come here and spend money to ski or enjoy our national parks, it's the same as exporting something to China," he said.

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