Kentucky governor eager to work with China

There are only a handful of Chinese companies in Kentucky, but its governor wants to change that.

The first Chinese company ventured into Kentucky as late as 2013 when Shandong Borun Process Industrial Technology Co acquired Birtley Industrial Equipment.

Last year, Haier Group acquired GE Appliances for $5.6 billion. In the same year, a consortium of investors led by Apex Technology based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, and PAG Asia Capital acquired Lexmark International Inc for $3.6 billion. Together, the Chinese companies employ about 8,500 people in the state.