The Fourth China-U.S. Governors Forum, co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Sichuan Provicial People’s Government, was held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province on May 22. The theme of the forum was Win-win Cooperation and Shared Development. Vice Chairman Wu Weihua of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Secretary Peng Qinghua of CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, President Li Xiaolin of the CPAFFC, Governor Yin Li of Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, Governor Wang Wentao of Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Government, Executive Vice Governor Chen Xiangqun of Hunan Provincial People’s Government, Vice Governor Xia Yanjun of Hebei Provincial People’s Government, Ambassador Terry Branstad of the U.S. to China, Governor Bill Walker of Alaska, Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez of New Mexico, and representatives from the States of California, Michigan, Ohio and Iowa State Economic Development Agency attended the forum. Governor Jerry Brown of California, Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York and Governor Jay Inslee of Washington sent videos or letters of congratulations to the forum. Discussions around trade and investment, green development, innovation driven economy were carried out among 350 attendees from Chinese and U.S. governments and businesses to tap into the potential for China-U.S. sub-national cooperation, striving for practical achievements.
Vice Chairman Wu Weihua said at the opening ceremony that after 40 years, with joint efforts between the two countries, China-U.S. cooperation has expanded extensively, forming an interdependence under which circumstances one can not be isolated from the other. Chinese President Xi Jinping made it clear at this year’s Boao Forum for Asia that China will open its doors wider to the outside world. China will relax its control on market access, create a more favorable business climate, strengthen intellectual property rights protection and increase importation. In this process, Chinese provinces are willing to cooperate with U.S. states in trade and in trade and investment, green development and innovation driven economy. China welcomes U.S. states and their businesses to participate in its high-quality development, making shared development and win-win cooperation.
Secretary Peng Qinghua said, as one of the economic, resources, personnel, science and technology powerhouses of China, Sichuan is endowed with a sound base for exchanges and cooperation with the U.S. and other regions, possessing a great potential. Sichuan wishes to take the forum as an opportunity to perfect cooperation mechanism, expand friendly exchanges, and deepen cooperation in trade and investment, education, science and technology, green and low-carbon development, as well as people-to-people exchanges, resulting in a win-win and mutually beneficial situation.
President Li Xiaolin said, as one of the most important China-U.S. sub-national cooperation mechanisms, China-U.S. Governors Form has been supported by national and sub-national leaders as well as people from all walks of life from both countries. She also hoped attendees to the forum carry out extensive discussions to provide more ideas and strategies to promote the development of China-U.S. relationship and sub-national relationship, promoting common development and world peace and prosperity through exchanges and cooperation.
Ambassador Branstad had attended all three previous forums and expressed his pleasure to attend the fourth forum as Ambassador. He said that sub-national cooperation was bedrock of U.S.-China relationship. The forum had been playing an important role in promoting sub-national cooperation in trade and investment, culture, agriculture, environment protection, education and sports, bringing benefits to people of the two countries.
The China-U.S. Governors Forum was established in 2011 under the consensus of the state leaders of the two countries. Since then three forums and two rounds of dialogues have been held, with total participation of 26 Chinese provincial leaders and 33 U.S. governors. It has received great care and support from the national leaders and all social sectors of the two countries, providing an important platform for China-U.S. sub-national cooperation.
Potographed by Department of American and Asian Affairs
