His brothers and sisters are Marion Monwai, Jannie Chow, Rita Yoshihara and Jeff Locke. This was their first visit to their father's birthplace. Locke visited Hong Kong in 1960 when he was ten years old. He visited China in 1991 as a state legislator and in 1995 as King County Executive. Washington state is a national leader in trade oriented benefits linked to international trade.
Export production is the fastest growing sector of the state's economy.
One in four jobs is tied to world markets, the highest rate per capita of any state in the nation. The governor's two-week International Mission was made at the official invitation of the Japanese and Chinese governments The two countries are two of Washington's most important trading partners. The governor's official party included the directors of Washington State Departments of Agriculture and Community, Trade and Economic Development and the Washington China Relations Council. State exports to China increased 39 percent in each of the last two years and account for 13 percent of all U.S. exports to China.