The first ever China-US Governors Forum opened at Salt Lake City on 14th July. Its purpose is to provide a new platform in promoting cooperation between the two sides in areas of trade, investment, energy, environment and people to people exchanges.
With the full backing of both Presidents Hu and Obama, it is jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the National Governors Association (NGA) of the United States. This venture was instigated by President Hu in his January visit to the United States to enhance cooperation at the local level between the two countries.
The Chinese delegation led by the Zhejiang provincial Communist party secretary Zhao Hongzhu plus leaders from a number of Chinese provincial leaders including from Anhui, Qinghai, Yunnan and Zhejiang and over 30 US governors attended the forum. CPAFFC and NGA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to make the forum a long-term fixture.
In 2010, China exports to the United States totalled US$364 billion. This compared with US exports to China of US$91 billion. Last year, exports from 24 states to China exceeded US$ 1 billion. Over the past decade, 47 US states' exports to China have grown over 100 percent.
The conference attracted a few hundred researchers and entrepreneurs from local universities, businesses and other institutions in China and the US, as they explore opportunities for new joint projects to promote trade and business, education, cultural exchanges and tourism.
According to the China Daily, this was not just a talk-fest...20 deals were inked including:
- Starbucks and Aini Group in Yunnan (one of the province's most established coffee operators and agricultural companies) signed an agreement to create a coffee business partnership between their two companies, to purchase and export high-quality arabica Yunnan coffee beans, as well as operate dry mills in Yunnan province.
- The Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone in East China's Anhui province reached a deal with NuvoSun on a project for thin film solar cells.
- The first China-Midwest (Shanghai -St. Louis) cargo air route operated by China Eastern poised to be a key trade hub will take flight in September creating 12–15,000jobs in St Louis, Missouri. This is subject to one final piece of legislation to be passed by Missouri state senators in September.
This is one dimension that has the highest potential to both promote improving economic relations and bolster closer social ties between the two countries. It dovetails with the signature state visits and summits held by both countries recently in 2009 and 2011…..where the almost obligatory mega-deals are penned eg Boeing planes, Caterpillar mining and construction equipment.
Casting aside any political rivalries and military tensions between the world's top two nations by GDP, it’s one small step for bilateral trade and a giant stride for Sino-US commerce.
With the full backing of both Presidents Hu and Obama, it is jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the National Governors Association (NGA) of the United States. This venture was instigated by President Hu in his January visit to the United States to enhance cooperation at the local level between the two countries.
The Chinese delegation led by the Zhejiang provincial Communist party secretary Zhao Hongzhu plus leaders from a number of Chinese provincial leaders including from Anhui, Qinghai, Yunnan and Zhejiang and over 30 US governors attended the forum. CPAFFC and NGA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging to make the forum a long-term fixture.
In 2010, China exports to the United States totalled US$364 billion. This compared with US exports to China of US$91 billion. Last year, exports from 24 states to China exceeded US$ 1 billion. Over the past decade, 47 US states' exports to China have grown over 100 percent.
The conference attracted a few hundred researchers and entrepreneurs from local universities, businesses and other institutions in China and the US, as they explore opportunities for new joint projects to promote trade and business, education, cultural exchanges and tourism.
According to the China Daily, this was not just a talk-fest...20 deals were inked including:
- Starbucks and Aini Group in Yunnan (one of the province's most established coffee operators and agricultural companies) signed an agreement to create a coffee business partnership between their two companies, to purchase and export high-quality arabica Yunnan coffee beans, as well as operate dry mills in Yunnan province.
- The Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone in East China's Anhui province reached a deal with NuvoSun on a project for thin film solar cells.
- The first China-Midwest (Shanghai -St. Louis) cargo air route operated by China Eastern poised to be a key trade hub will take flight in September creating 12–15,000jobs in St Louis, Missouri. This is subject to one final piece of legislation to be passed by Missouri state senators in September.
This is one dimension that has the highest potential to both promote improving economic relations and bolster closer social ties between the two countries. It dovetails with the signature state visits and summits held by both countries recently in 2009 and 2011…..where the almost obligatory mega-deals are penned eg Boeing planes, Caterpillar mining and construction equipment.
Casting aside any political rivalries and military tensions between the world's top two nations by GDP, it’s one small step for bilateral trade and a giant stride for Sino-US commerce.
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