Xi calls on China, U.S. to enhance local-level cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged Tuesday to boost local-level cooperation between his country and the United States to facilitate the development of bilateral ties.

Addressing the third China-U.S. Governors' Forum held in this east Pacific coast city, Xi said China-U.S. cooperation at local level enjoys vaster space for development under the current circumstances.

Cooperation at local level plays a significant role in the development of country-to-county relations, Xi said at the forum gathering 11 Chinese and U.S. governors, adding that he has always attached great importance to the development of China-U.S. cooperation at local level.

Hailing the development of bilateral cooperation in this respect, Xi listed that China and the United States have established 43 pairs of sister provinces/states and 200 pairs of sister cities, and that, in the past 10 years, 42 of all U.S. states achieved triple-digit growth in China-bound exports.

The Chinese president, who has rich experience in working in local governments, tabled a three-point proposal for the development of bilateral cooperation at local level.

Firstly, China and the United States should make effective use of the opportunities unleashed by the large size of their economies.

China will need a huge amount of foreign products, technologies and services in its process of industrialization, informationization, urbanization and agricultural modernization, Xi said.

He called on all U.S. states to strengthen cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.

Secondly, the two countries should share the benefits generated by their respective reform and development policies, Xi said.

China's reform and opening up policy and the U.S. policies and strategies to adjust its economic structure have created opportunities for cooperation, Xi said.

He noted that China will push ahead with the "Belt and Road" initiative and welcome all countries, including the United States, to take part in the process.

Thirdly, China and the United States should tap the potential of their complementary advantages.

For example, Xi said, the state of Washington, rich in experiences in environmental and coastal protection, can cooperate with Chinese provinces which are making large investment in this respect.

Meanwhile, Xi said he attaches great importance to people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, calling on Chinese provinces and U.S. states to communicate and cooperate in such areas as education, tourism, sports and youth.

The cooperation could boost growth and create jobs that benefit the Chinese and U.S. peoples, Xi said.

Xi announced that China will provide financial support for 50,000 Chinese and U.S. students to study in each other's country, the U.S. side will exert efforts to raise the number of U.S. students learning Chinese to 1 million by 2020, and that the two countries will hold "Year of Tourism" in 2016.

Xi arrived in Seattle on Tuesday morning for his first state visit to the United States since he took office in 2013. Endi