Briefs

California Partners with Belgium to Boost Business, Strengthen Economic Ties

 

SAN FRANCISCO – Gov. Gavin Newsom Oct. 7 announced a new international partnership between California and Belgium to grow economic relations and advance research and innovation, including in clean technologies.

In San Francisco, the Governor and a delegation from California welcomed Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Princess of Belgium, who is leading the largest Belgian trade mission to California in its history. California and Belgium are important trading partners and share close economic, academic and cultural ties.

The two delegations held a bilateral meeting that focused on the innovation economy, clean energy and opportunities to advance mutually important sectors like aerospace and semiconductors. California and Belgium signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate trade, entrepreneurship, business engagement, and strengthen the innovation ecosystem. Text of the MOU is available here.

What the partnership does
  • Promotes mutually beneficial trade and economic development by facilitating entrepreneurship, business engagement, and trade promotion.
  • Strengthens innovation ecosystems through public–private collaboration, academic and research exchange, and joint development projects.
  • Advances partnerships across sectors by fostering private sector, government-to-government, and public–private collaborations within key industries.
  • Facilitates knowledge and policy exchange by sharing best practices, promoting information exchange, and supporting dialogues, delegations, and regional partnerships.
A strong trade partnership

In 2024, two-way trade between California and Belgium totaled $3.3 billion, with California exports to Belgium increasing by more than 10%. California’s top exports to Belgium include pharmaceuticals and medicine, manufactured commodities like medical equipment, and electronics. With nearly $900 million in imports to California, the state ranks as one of the top American importers of Belgian products. Belgium is also a significant source of direct foreign investment for California, with Belgian-owned companies supporting more than 4,300 jobs across various sectors and regions in California.

Reporters Desk

Recent Posts

LA County Mobilizes Food Assistance as Federal Government Shutdown Continues

LA County and its partners are mobilizing to meet residents’ needs by surging food assistance…

23 minutes ago

Mayor Bass Appoints Jaime Moore As LAFD Fire Chief

Moore held executive leadership and operations roles in wildland fires including the Hurst Fire, Kenneth…

34 minutes ago

Trump Drops the Hammer on Farmworkers

In addition, the new regulation allows growers to charge H-2A workers for housing, which they…

6 days ago

Letters to the Editor: Toberman Seniors Rebuild Reputation, School Library Proposal, and Praise for “Art, Authenticity vs. Hypocrisy”

  Toberman Seniors Club Seeks to Restore Its Good Name Amid Unexplained Changes We, the…

6 days ago

Becoming Daddy AF, Through Dance and Storytelling

At 65 years of age, Roussève stands, through his diagnosis, still performing, writing, creating and…

6 days ago

Icon versus Caricature

The difference between being a true icon and a caricature is in the authenticity of…

6 days ago