China-US Governors Dialogue Held in Beijing

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the exchanges and cooperation between the local governments of China and the United States. The China-US Governors Forum has great vitality， for it helps bring into play the enthusiasm for cooperation between the local governments of the two countries and enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust.” This statement was made by Vice Premier Wang Qishan when meeting with the US governors delegation attending the China-US Governors Dialogue， the second round of the China-US Governors Forum in Beijing.

The dialogue with the theme of promoting local economic development and creating jobs， co-sponsored by the CPAFFC and the US National Governors Association， was held in China World Summit Wing Beijing at China World Trade Center on October 19， 2011.

Chief participants included eight Chinese sub-national leaders， namely， Zhao Hongzhu， Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee; Zhou Qiang， Secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee; Guo Jinlong， Mayor of Beijing; Chen Zhenggao， Governor of Liaoning; Wang Sanyun， Governor of Anhui; Lu Xinshe， Acting Governor of Jiangxi; Jiang Daming， Governor of Shandong and Li Jiheng， Acting Governor of Yunnan. There were six US governors present: Christine Gregoire of Washington State， Nathan Deal of Georgia， Eddie Calvo of Guam， Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii， Beverly Purdue of North Carolina， and Benigno Fitial of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The dialogue was co-chaired by CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin and Governor Christine Gregoire. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and US Under Secretary of State for Economic， Business and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats attended and spoke at the event.

Cui Tiankai pointed out: “The China-US Governors Forum is a creative step that aims at offering a high-level and regular platform for sub-national exchanges and cooperation. It will not only promote shared prosperity at the sub-national level， but also facilitate the overall China-US relations at the national level.” He expressed the hope that the dialogue would become a catalyst for China-US sub-national cooperation， a propeller of China-US business ties， and a bridge of friendship between the people of the two countries.

Under Secretary Robert Hormats said: “There is no doubt that the two-way trade and investment has benefited both the U.S. and China in many ways. One way of doing this is to bring our provincial officials as they are best positioned in both countries to build these connections. In doing so， they will create new opportunities for US and Chinese companies and new jobs for both peoples.”

The Chinese and US local leaders spoke on the topics of “Promoting Local Economic Development” and “Creating jobs”.

Governor Gregoire said Washington State relied heavily on trade with other countries and China was its No.1 trading partner. Trade with China had created many jobs and was very important to its economic development.

Governor Deal stressed that creating jobs was his top priority and the U.S. should continue to develop the mutually beneficial partnership with China to address the challenges of economic recession.

Governor Calvo said that Guam should look west， to Asia and to China in particular， for its future development， adding that it was of great importance for Guam to promote exchanges and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Governor Abercrombie quoted from the Communique of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee. He spoke highly of China’s close linkage of culture and tradition and culture and development， and expressed his belief that cooperation in tourism between Hawaii and China would not only promote each other’s economic development， but also benefit cultural development.

Governor Purdue highlighted the advantages North Carolina had in science and technology， education， and agriculture and the good investment opportunities it could provide for Chinese entrepreneurs. As investment and trade are closely related to job creation， the governor hoped that more Chinese provinces would carry out exchanges with North Carolina.

Governor Fitial introduced Northern Mariana Islands’ favorable tax policies for investors， saying that there was great potential for cooperation in tourism and aviation between the territory and China.

The eight Chinese provincial leaders emphasized in their speeches the great importance they attached to developing cooperative ties with the U.S. Zhao Hongzhu pointed out: “Employment is the source of development. It has a vital bearing on people’s livelihood and is the foundation of harmony. It concerns the overall economic and social development of a country. Under the present situation when the global economy is faced with severe challenges， every responsible government is committed to resolving the issue of how to bring about the coordinated development between economic growth and job creation. With concerted efforts to increase bilateral investment and trade， Chinese and US governors will effectively solve their employment problems.”

Zhou Qiang said the great differences and complementarity between the Chinese and US localities provided potential and opportunities for cooperation between them. By enhancing cooperation， the local governments of the two countries could achieve win-win results in developing local economy and increasing employment.

More open and frank views were exchanged during the Q and A period. The Chinese and US sub-national leaders held that against the backdrop of the present complicated and severe world economic situation when China and the U.S. must deal with many difficulties in their development， to increase in depth and width exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and US localities， especially investment and trade， would play a vital role in promoting local economic development and employment， and has long-term influence on the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

On the sideline， 21 separate meetings were held between Chinese and American governors， during which the two sides explored ways to strengthen substantial cooperation. Shandong Province and the State of Georgia signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation.

In July 2011， the First China-US Governors Forum was held in Utah with four Chinese provincial leaders and over 30 US governors attending.