By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
ST. LOUIS – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon postponed a planned trade trip to Taiwan and South Korea after business leaders warned it could endanger a proposal to make Lambert-St. Louis International Airport a trade hub.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday that members of the Midwest China Hub Commission were concerned the trip to Taiwan could anger Chinese officials. Missouri has been working to expand trade between the Midwest and China and hopes to make Lambert Airport a major entry point for Chinese goods.
The Midwest China Hub Commission told Nixon that the Chinese consul general believed the governor's trade trip would affect the ability to reach a deal.
Nixon was to leave Friday. The governor's office said the trade mission was canceled because "travel challenges" and has declined to elaborate.
--- Information from: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, www.stltoday.com