'We Should Wait for Foxconn to Announce Investment in Michigan Itself,' US State Governor Says
Xu Kuaiyun
DATE:  Aug 08 2017
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
'We Should Wait for Foxconn to Announce Investment in Michigan Itself,' US State Governor Says 'We Should Wait for Foxconn to Announce Investment in Michigan Itself,' US State Governor Says

(Yicai Global) Aug. 8 -- "I can't take this opportunity to confirm Foxconn's investment in Michigan, because it should be announced by the company itself," the governor of US state of Michigan, Rick Snyder, told Yicai Global when commenting on reports that the Chinese company is planning to set up a driving automation research and development center in the state.

Snyder made these remarks during an interview with Yicai Global at Shanghai's Tomorrow Square yesterday. Snyder is on his seventh visit to China in seven years as Michigan governor. He visited Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shanghai, where he introduced to Chinese companies and officials what he termed "ground-breaking" progresses that his state achieved in mobility and autonomous driving technology development.

During his visit, he met some small Chinese driving automation companies and large battery and new-energy vehicle manufacturers, and discussed future collaboration prospects with them, he said without mentioning the names of the companies. He emphasized that he looks forward to seeing more Chinese enterprises set up branches and invest in Michigan state.

Snyder met with Terry Gou, founder of Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer of electronics, at the company's Longhua factory, Shenzhen, on Aug. 5. Michigan has clear advantages in the high-tech automobile industry, and Foxconn will further its communications and discussions with Michigan on the Internet of Things, telematics and driving automation businesses, Shenzhen Economic Daily quoted the business tycoon as saying during the meeting.

Foxconn will build a D&R center in Michigan to develop driverless vehicles, the media reported. The total investment in the project will amount to several billion dollars, according to one report.

The company is very satisfied about smart travel initiatives that Michigan state has introduced, Snyder pointed out. Michigan offers abundant supplies of engineers and relevant technology professionals, he said, "I hope that Foxconn will take this opportunity to invest in Michigan, not only in autonomous driving but also in some other businesses." The governor of Michigan state also disclosed that Shenzhen and Detroit will be sister cities.

There is increasing competition for intelligent transportation businesses among automakers and high-tech firms in China, the US and Europe alike, Snyder said, stressing that Michigan is on track to become the global center of mobility technology. Data published by Navigant Research show the midwestern state is more competitive on the mobility market than Silicon Valley, and has the largest number of navigation and mobility patents than any other states in the US.

Michigan is hailed as the world's capital of auto manufacturing. Some 76 percent of auto research and development activities in the US are carried out in the state. It is home to 27 automobile assembly plants and 375 R&D centers, of which 120 belong to non-American companies.

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Keywords:   Michigan,Rick Snyder,FOXCONN,Shenzhen,Terry Gou,Automaker