The Port of Tacoma and City of Tacoma are starting an 18-month trade project aimed at capitalizing on its long-standing sister city relationship with Fuzhou, China.

The pilot project aims to attract foreign direct investment from Fuzhou to the Tacoma area and develop export markets in Fuzhou for Pierce County companies.

To that end the port and city have hired trade representatives for offices in Tacoma and in Fuzhou.

"China is now Tacoma's largest trading partner by both volume and by dollar value, and Fuzhou is a key gateway to this market," said Connie Bacon, a Port of Tacoma commissioner.

Fuzhou is the capital of China's Fujian Province, which is on the country's southeastern coast, across from Taiwan.

Former Tacoma City Councilman Bill Evans pitched the project in conjunction with representatives from Fuzhou.

Bacon advocated for the port's involvement.

The city and port each contributed $100,000 for the initial pilot. The concept is to exchange trade representatives between the two cities.

The Port and City money helps fund a trade representative in Fuzhou and a project coordinator in Tacoma.

The Fuzhou Municipal People's Government is also sending a representative here to work out of the port's offices.

The port commission approved money for the project last fall. At that time, some questioned whether such a pilot project is needed.

The state's Community, Trade and Economic Development department already has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Port of Tacoma too has offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

A task force including representatives from the city, port and World Trade Center Tacoma commissioned a feasibility study on the Fuzhou-Tacoma project last year.

That study found that while sister-city relationships alone don't promote business, they could open doors.

It also noted that such a program would need broad, consistent community support and a way to measure the office's success.

In interviews with other trade offices in China, the authors of the report noted that long-term commitment to the trade office is needed for its success.

Several weeks of two-hour workshops explaining changes in sales tax laws start Wednesday at the Federal Way La Quinta Inn & Suites.

This is a change impacting businesses that sell and then ship merchandise. Now companies collect sales tax based on the rate from where a product is shipped, according to a release from the Department of Revenue. Starting July 1, sales tax must be collected based on the rate where the items are being sent.

The changes, according to the release, impact only in-state sales.

Go to http://destinationtax.dor.wa.gov and click on "Attend a workhop" to find out where and when the subsequent workshops are taking place. There are two in Federal Way on Wednesday, though the morning one is already full. There are additional sessions through April, May and June in Tacoma, Olympia, Tukwila, SeaTac and Silverdale.

Gas prices hit a new record here this week, a another in a string of new new highs for fuel.

According to AAA Washington, regular unleaded fuel in Tacoma averaged $3.534 a gallon in Tacoma today, up from $3.527 a month ago and from $3.093 a year ago.

Diesel was even more dear with average prices in the Tacoma area at $4.309 a gallon compared with $2.998 a year ago.

The Air Force's newest fighter, the F-22, will have to undergo more frequent inspections because of defects in aluminum forgings that Alcoa Inc. supplied, The Boeing Co. alleges in a lawsuit.

Boeing, which is a partner with Lockheed Martin in producing the stealthy fighter, alleges that Alcoa supplied it with the defective parts which it incorporated into the structure of the F-22.

Boeing produces the aft structure of the F-22 and its wings at a plant at Boeing Field in Seattle.

The more frequent inspections will be necessary to determine if the defective forgings are failing.

The Boeing Co. added 30 more jetliners, all of them 737s, to its order book last week.

Those orders bring Boeing's total for the year to 318. The 30 737 orders were entered by airlines that Boeing has not yet identified.

The 737, as normal, remains the most popular of the Boeing line of aircraft with 216 net orders for the year.

The 787 is second with 75 orders. The 777 has won 26 orders, while the 747 has won just one and the 767 none in 2008.

Saltchuk Resources, Inc., a Seattle-based private investment firm with major ties to the Tacoma area, could be the savior for bankrupt Aloha Airlines' cargo business.

Saltchuk, whose Tacoma connections include ownership of the Russell Building, of Totem Ocean Trailer Express and of Foss Maritime Co., has bid $13 million for Aloha's air cargo business.

Aloha quit flying passengers two weeks ago when it couldn't find financing to continue operating under bankruptcy reorganization.

Saltchuk has both air cargo experience through its Northern Air Cargo subsidiary in Alaska and strong connections to the Hawaiian business community.

It owns Young Brothers and Hawaiian Tug & Barge, two firms with a long history in the Hawaiian maritime business.The company also owns Hawaii Petroleum Inc., Maui Petroleum Inc. and Minit Stop convenience stores in the 50th state.

A bankruptcy court is expected to announce the winner of the auction to purchase Aloha Air Cargo on April 24. Two other potential bidders have expressed interest in the cargo operations.