Touring for Dollars

When public officials travel abroad at public expense, an outcry frequently is made--”Boondoggle!” “Junket!”--sometimes fairly and sometimes not. No such label is needed for Gov. Pete Wilson’s current 21-day trade tour of Asia.

Look at the schedule: at least 19 events set so far within 10 working days sandwiched around eight travel days. Stops in Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai.

Asia is a prime market for California goods, from high-tech hardware to farm products. Far from being a fun outing, Wilson’s trip can pay big dividends for years to come. “International trade is one of the pillars of the state’s new economy,” the governor himself has declared.

Indeed, Wilson’s office said exports of California goods worldwide totaled $77.5 billion in the first three quarters of 1996, up 10% over the previous year. Exports of services total $40 billion annually.

Wilson aides said a critical part of trade promotion comes in face-to-face meetings with top ministers of the Asian governments, who themselves often determine which goods are purchased abroad and from whom.

The state began a vigorous new marketing campaign in the 1980s. Gov. George Deukmejian opened five offices abroad, followed by Wilson’s four. Now Wilson wants to create new outposts in Seoul, Sao Paulo and Shanghai. That is an investment well worth making.