First Minister holds talks to strengthen long term relationship between the Eagle and the Dragon

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones has today held talks with the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Matthew Barzun to strengthen Wales’ long term relationship with America.

In the meeting, which took place during UK Trade & Investment Export Week, the First Minister and Ambassador Barzun discussed ongoing trade partnerships with the USA and Wales’ historic relationship with the country.

There are 270 US owned companies in Wales and the value of Welsh exports to the USA is nearly £3billion. The USA continues to be Wales’s top export destination by far.

The meeting also comes a day after Wales and California became founding signatories of a new global memorandum of understanding (MoU) on climate change. The ‘Under 2 MoU’ on Subnational Global Climate Leadership is a collective agreement among leading subnational governments to work to limit global greenhouse gas emissions to a level that prevents global warming above 20C.

Speaking after the meeting the First Minister said:

“The bond between Wales and America is strong and historic. There are many millions of people living in the U.S who can trace their family history all the way back to Wales.

“It’s important that we continue to strengthen these links and it was fantastic to meet with Ambassador Barzun today to discuss our future relationship. I told the Ambassador that I hope to visit the U.S every year to ensure these bonds remain unbroken.

“Wales as a whole values the vital contribution that the USA makes to the Welsh economy, with the USA being our largest market for both trade and inward investment. We will continue with a major trade mission programme to the USA to increase trade between our two countries.”