"South Carolina has a good business environment and has become
one of the hotspots for Chinese investment in the United States,"
Vice-Premier Wu Yi said on Sunday.
Economic and trade contacts and cooperation between the
southeastern US state and China have produced good results in
recent years, with South Carolina's trade with China reaching
US$3.26 billion in 2005, Wu said, speaking at a meeting with US
Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, both South Caroliners.
The vice-premier said she was impressed with the hospitality of
the South Carolina people and the desire of the state's businesses
to work with China.
China's Haier Group established a home appliances production
base in South Carolina in 1999, its first in North America,
creating job opportunities and contributing to local economic
development, Wu said.
To enhance Chinese companies' understanding of South Carolina's
investment environment, Wu announced that the China Chamber of
Commerce in the US would jointly host a "China-South Carolina
Economic, Trade and Investment Forum" with the South Carolina
government.
Further expansion of economic and trade relations between China
and the US will help promote exchange and cooperation in culture,
science and technology and tourism as well, the vice-premier
said.
She said that there would undoubtedly be some friction as
China-US economic and trade relations continue to develop, but this
is only to be expected. She added that the two sides should solve
any issues with sincerity and through equal consultation.
Exerting pressure on the other side would only generate negative
results, she said.
The Chinese vice-premier added that she would co-chair the 17th
meeting of the Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in
Washington with US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Trade
Representative Rob Portman.
During the meeting, they will exchange views on major issues
surrounding economic and trade relations in a bid to enhance mutual
trust on issues affecting bilateral trade, and strive for
consensus. This should help to create favorable conditions for
further development of the China-US economic and trade
relationship.
Graham and DeMint said Wu's visit to the US was a boost to
exchange and understanding between the two countries, and South
Carolina had a strong interest in strengthening economic and trade
cooperation with China.
They also said South Carolina hoped more Chinese companies would
invest in the state, adding that an increase in Sino-US business
activity would make the relationship between the two sides even
closer.
(China Daily April 11, 2006)
