China, US pick up pace on subnational exchanges

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.

Plowing ahead

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.