Arnold Schwarzenegger

May 2, 2004 Governor Schwarzenegger gave remarks at the groundbreaking of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem. Israel was the Governor’s first trade mission after taking office, and his 2004 visit opened up many opportunities for collaboration between California and Israel over the next seven years, including a 2006 Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Governor and Israel’s Minister of Tourism to promote tourism between the two states. Governor Schwarzenegger also traveled to Jordan on this visit, where he met with King Abdullah. The Governor returned again to Israel as part of a 2009 trip to the Middle East, which included time in Iraq with U.S. troops and a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

November 10, 2004 Governor Schwarzenegger and a delegation of California business leaders arrived in Tokyo, Japan, to promote Golden State products, agriculture, and tourism. As part of this trade mission, the Governor met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. “One of the important things is to go out and to sell California, because we have so much to offer, and to let Japan and the rest of the world know that we are open for business and that this is a new California,” said the Governor when announcing the trade mission. “We are going to promote California as pro-business, pro-environment and pro-workers.”

August 31, 2005 Expanding opportunities for California wineries and consumers, Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 118, which brings state law into compliance with the Supreme Court decision in Granholm v. Heald regarding direct shipment of wine to consumers.

November 13, 2005 Governor Schwarzenegger launched a historic six-day trade mission to China to promote California’s high-quality products and services to the world’s fastest-growing economy, encourage Chinese investment in the Golden State and raise awareness of important intellectual property rights issues. He and a delegation of 75 California employers promoted California agriculture and encouraged consumers and businesses to purchase California-grown produce and products. As a result of this trade mission, for the first time in history, California strawberries were legally exported to Beijing—just in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

November 9, 2006 Strengthening economic ties with California’s top trading partner, Governor Schwarzenegger led more than 60 members of the agriculture, tourism, and business communities on a trade mission to Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico. Mexico accounts for approximately $17.7 billion of California’s annual export trade, and approximately 177,000 in-state jobs are tied to trade with Mexico.

May 29, 2007 To promote California trade and tourism with our nation’s northern neighbor, Governor Schwarzenegger led a trade mission to Canada, where he visited Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Meeting with local, provincial, and national leadership, the Governor discussed ways to reduce the effects of climate change while boosting economic growth, and learned more about how Canada’s cities are using public-private partnerships to finance infrastructure projects.

June 12, 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger hosted Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and renewed his commitment to further strengthen cooperative ties with Chile. During a visit to the University of California–Davis, Governor Schwarzenegger and President Bachelet witnessed the signing of a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that established a California-Chile “Partnership for the 21st Century” to promote collaboration between institutions, organizations, universities, research centers, companies, and citizens. Three additional MOUs creating formal partnerships between the California State University system, UC Davis, and educational institutions in Chile were also signed.

March 1, 2009 The Governor traveled to Germany to promote California at CeBIT, the world’s largest technology trade fair for digital, information, and communications technology. California was named the first official U.S. state partner with CeBIT, and Golden State companies were spotlighted among over five thousand exhibitors and half a million attendees. During his two-day visit, the Governor also met with elected officials, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Lower Saxony Prime Minister Christian Wulff.

September 9, 2010 Governor Schwarzenegger led a trade mission to China, Japan, and South Korea—three of California’s top trading partners—where he promoted California products and tourism, met with high-speed rail officials, and connected California business leaders with their Asian counterparts. The trip resulted in increased investments in California, including Hyundia Motor Group’s announcement that they will invest $1 billion in California, which will create 1,500 new construction jobs and provide Orange County with $273 million in total economic output. California also received financing offers from all three countries to build California’s high-speed rail.

October 9, 2010 Governor Schwarzenegger led a delegation of representatives from some of California’s most successful companies—including Google, Intel, Microsoft, DCM, Amgen, and Bloom Energy—to Russia to connect with senior officials and business leaders. Later in this trip, the Governor also met with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London and accompanied him to visit British troops.

2010 Governor Schwarzenegger served on the Board of Directors for the USA Bid Committee, attempting to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 2018 or 2022.

Other Work Abroad Over the past seven years, Governor Schwarzenegger has also made foreign trips to:

• Copenhagen, for the UN Climate Summit

• France, to meet with President Sarkozy

• London, where he met with Prime Minister Tony Blair on his last day as prime minister

• Milan, to participate in the World Regional Forum

• Vancouver, for the 2010 Winter Olympics