At the invitation of the Alaska State Government, CPAFFC Vice President Xie Yuan led a delegation to visit the State of Washington and the State of Alaska from February 6th to 11th. He held in-depth discussions with Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib of Washington State, Chief of Staff David Postman of Washington Governor’s Office, Governor Bill Walker and Mrs. Walker of Alaska, Lt. Governor Byron Mallot and Mrs. Mallot of Alaska, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage, Manager Jim Szczesniak of Ted Stevens International Airport, Chief Investment Officer Russel Read of Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Vice President Ma Kuanchi of American Flying Tigers Heritage Foundation. 

Vice President Xie Yuan made a review on the fruitful cooperation results between Washington State, Alaska State and China in recent years, and hightly commended the important contribution that Governor Inslee, Governor Walker, Lt. Governors and others had made in this regard. He said that China-U.S. sub-national cooperation, with strong vitality and potential, was an important foundation of bilateral relationship. It is hoped that the two sides could seize opportunities to enhance sub-national cooperation, for the better of the two peoples. He also invited the U.S. side to participate in the 4th China-U.S. Governors Forum, 3rd China-U.S. Sub-national Legislatures Cooperation Forum, China International Import Expo, and other important mechanism meetings. 

The officials of Washington State and Alaska State all agreed that cooperation with China would bring great development opportunities for their respective state, and expressed willingness to deepen cooperation with China in the areas of economic and trade, sister state/province and sister cities relationship, energy, tourism, direct flight, people-to-people exchanges, through participation in the China-U.S. sub-national coopertion mechanisms, mutual visits, and other activities.