Maine is eagerly looking forward to more investment, students and tourists from China, said Governor Paul LePage. LePage also expressed strong support for international trade in the interview at Maine International Trade Day on May 18 in Rockland. According to data from Maine International Trade Center's 2017 annual report, 2,262 Maine companies exported $2.7 billion in goods and services to 176 countries. Foreign direct investment has been a key part in Maine's economic engine - trade supports 180,500 (nearly 1 in 4) Maine jobs. "The whole country has a trade deficit with China since China is a pretty strong manufacturing country.