CHINA (June 7, 2010) -- Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman is traveling in China with a delegation of state officials, and business and community leaders through June 10. She has been blogging about their experiences as the group works to build relationships and attract Chinese investment to Indiana.

On the day she arrived, she remarked how Indiana's agricultural exports to China have increased sevenfold since 1997. She felt this anecdote about the Indiana-China connection illustrated it best:

Jay Hein, president of Indiana’s Sagamore Institute, who helped Skillman's group prepare for the trip, had visited China several years ago. Wanting to experience authentic Chinese cuisine, his group asked where they could go for the best Peking Duck.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, they ordered duck. The waiter asked where they were from and Hein replied, "We’re from America. A state called Indiana that you may not have heard of.”

The waiter smiled. “Your duck,” he replied, “is from Indiana.”

To read more about Lt. Gov. Skillman's trip to China, visit her blog at www.ibj.com/becky-skillmans-china-blog/PARAMS/article/20271.