All U.S. states have significantly increased their exports to China since 2000, but some – like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania – have been more successful than others, according to a new U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC) report. All three states exported more than $1 billion to China last year, and have had triple-digit growth in exports to China since 2000.

Overall, China now is the third-largest purchaser of U.S. goods and services, behind only Canada and Mexico. U.S. exports to China in 2007 totaled $65.2 billion, up 18 percent over 2006 and up more than four-fold since 2000.

“Most Americans are aware of China's manufacturing output, since they see it on store shelves every day,” USCBC President John Frisbie told U.S. Industry Today. “Less known, however, is that the U.S. remains the world’s largest manufacturer – twice as big as China – and China is buying more and more of America's exports.

“This is the untold story,” he added. “These numbers demonstrate once again that the U.S. export relationship with China is strong and growing stronger every year. In a time of softening in the rest of the U.S. economy, U.S. exports to China are a source of strength and jobs.” For more information on the US-China trade and investment relationship, see www.uschina.org/tradefacts.