As the 2023 holiday season approaches, subnational exchanges between the United States and China are picking up pace.
▲ Two people in Washington experience the charm of Peking Opera at a cultural activity organized by the Chinese Embassy in the United States on Oct 15. XINHUAThe most noticeable example has been California Governor Gavin Newsom's weeklong visit to China that strengthened the state's cooperation with China on climate control, trade and cultural ties.As the first US governor to visit China after a gap of more than four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsom accomplished a lot in his trip in late October, which was highlighted by a meeting with President Xi Jinping.During his visit, Newsom signed five memorandums of understanding with the National Development and Reform Commission, Beijing, Shanghai and the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu. The MOUs advance California and China's work on climate policy.California's agencies and departments will immediately initiate steps to implement the terms of the MOUs with their Chinese counterparts. This includes forming working groups, conducting bilateral meetings, establishing formal work plans and planning site and delegation visits, according to Newsom's office.The California Energy Commission plans to attend the World New Energy Vehicle Conference in China, and California officials will engage with their Chinese counterparts at APEC in San Francisco and COP28 in Dubai."When it comes to climate, it's a G2 issue. The United States and China make up 42 percent of global emissions. We can't be serious about climate change without working together," Newsom said.▲ A US student learns calligraphy from a Chinese student in New York. WANG YING/XINHUA
As large trading partners, California and China conducted annual business of $166 billion in two-way trade in 2022. Newsom sought to strengthen the relationship and focused on rebuilding tourism between California and China. Tourism from China once poured $4 billion into California but hasn't recovered since the pandemic.
"Divorce is not an option. I do not want to see this relationship deteriorate — it serves no one," Newsom said. "We are better when we are cooperating and competing, not cold-shouldering one another." Days after his return to California, direct flights were opened between San Francisco and Shanghai.In Iowa, local farmers and members of Iowa's Sister States welcomed a Hebei provincial government delegation to celebrate their friendship of 40 years on Oct 26.Led by Jin Hui, Hebei's deputy governor, the delegation visited the same Kimberly Farm near Des Moines that Xi went to in 2012, to discuss further exchanges in agricultural best practices. The delegation also met with former governor and ambassador to China Terry Branstad to renew the friendship, and witnessed the signing of a $3 billion soybean deal between the US and China.The sister state-province relationship has flourished over 40 years, as summarized by Roger Nowadzky, president of Iowa Sister States, during a celebration lunch in Des Moines."Forty years is a significant amount of time for friendship. Before Iowa and Hebei came together, there was very little trade between the United States and China. There were very few professional delegations coming to Iowa from Hebei and very few people going out to Hebei," he said.The friendship between Hebei and Iowa was strengthened in 1985 when Xi — then a county leader from Hebei — visited Iowa as part of an agricultural study program under the sister-state program. Twenty-seven years later in 2012, then vice-president Xi made a return visit to see old friends. During the pandemic, Iowa and Hebei helped each other by shipping medical supplies to one another. "We have a wonderful friendship, something beyond just trade partners and cultural understanding. It's also a connection of people to people and a connection of our hearts," Nowadzky said.On Oct 29, Oregon State Senator Michael Dembrow and an Oregon China Council goodwill delegation including leaders from the business and cultural sectors were welcomed by the Tianjin Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export.▲ Tourists visit a Spring Festival lantern display at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington last year. SHEN TING/XINHUA
Oregon's China Council and the Tianjin chamber have been promoting bilateral relations for years, and the collaboration has proved fruitful. Oregon's exports to China have continued to grow since 2020, the start of the pandemic.Last year, Oregon's $8.4 billion in exports was more than 16 percent higher than the 2019 level, according to the state's data. China has been Oregon's No 1 export destination for several years.The Oregon delegation also held a forum in Fujian province on Nov 1 to discuss climate challenges and sustainable development. Crater Lake National Park and the Wuyishan National Park signed a cooperation agreement to further such exchanges.At the same time, while Washington state welcomed a trade delegation from Sichuan province, a trade delegation from Houston, Texas, and six mayors from the heartland region made their first post-pandemic trip to China for a multicity visit to seek economic and trade cooperation, educational collaboration and people-to-people exchanges.The flurry of subnational exchanges hasn't escaped the notice of many US experts. They have been quick to point out that such exchanges are playing a very important role at a time when the US federal government's relations with China are constrained by domestic politics.Newsom's visit shows that progress is possible with Chinese provinces and city officials away from the scrutiny of official diplomacy, Joanna Lewis, a professor at Georgetown University who closely watches US and China climate engagement, told the Politico news site."Any dialogue that happens outside of Washington and Beijing by default just tends to be more open and frank," she said.
