Pompeo in Kansas to connect entrepreneurs with the world

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says President Donald Trump’s trade conflict with China is about fairness.

“For an awfully long time, other countries abused America’s economy,” said Pompeo. “They stole our intellectual property. They refused to let us sell our products. I remember when I was a small businessman, if someone from China wanted to come invest in America, they could. If we wanted to do it there, we couldn’t. That’s not fair. Farmers know that. Manufacturers know that. Business people know that. President Trump is determined to give American businesses, American farmers, American manufacturers fair and reciprocal opportunities to grow their businesses.”

Pompeo sees the entire Asian continent as a place where Kansans can sell their products.

“There’s enormous growth all across Asia,” said Pompeo. “I’ve traveled to Singapore, to Vietnam. I’ve been to China, to South Korea, to Japan. Each of those offers real opportunity for Kansans. Those countries are growing. Their people are growing. The middle class with the resources to purchase American goods is growing. There’s real opportunity there.”

The event being held in Overland Park this week is designed to help connect entrepreneurs in Kansas and across the Midwest with those who can invest in them across the globe.

“It’s very important to President Trump to grow our economy,” said Pompeo. “The pillar of American national security is, in fact, a growing, thriving American economy.”

The Road to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit Heartland, where Pompeo is speaking Monday, is a prelude to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in the Netherlands in June.

Photo courtesy: U.S. State Department