What’s new: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with California Governor Gavin Newsom Wednesday in Beijing, calling for greater cooperation between the world’s two largest economies.
Xi welcomed Newsom for a sit-down in the Great Hall of the People in the center of Beijing Wednesday afternoon, the official newspaper People’s Daily reported. California is the largest U.S. state with a population of 39.2 million and a $3.6 trillion economy, which would be the fifth-largest in the world.
During the meeting, Xi recalled his trip to California and said he hoped Newsom’s visit would help promote ties between China and the United States, according to People’s Daily. Xi visited California in 2013 for a summit with President Barack Obama.
China and the U.S. have significant potential for collaboration in green development and climate change, Xi said. The two countries could strengthen cooperation in these areas to develop new highlights in the bilateral relationship, Xi told Newsom.
Newsom lauded China’s achievements in new energy and pledged to enhance cooperation with China in areas such as climate change and new energy. California is willing to be China’s long-term, stable and strong cooperation partner, Newsom said.
Background: Newsom is in China for a weeklong visit to negotiate climate partnerships. Earlier Wednesday, he also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who will travel to the U.S. this week and meet with senior American officials.
The Democratic governor is the first governor of a U.S. state to visit China in more than four years and the first to meet with President Xi since former Governor Jerry Brown in 2017, according to the governor’s office.
Earlier this month, Xi met with U.S. congressional leaders for the first time in eight years, calling for easing tensions and stabilizing U.S.-China relations.
China and the U.S. have stepped up official exchanges in recent months in an effort to repair relations that have deteriorated in recent years over trade and other issues. Multiple U.S. cabinet officials from the Biden administration have visited China since June. Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the Group of 20 summit in September in New Delhi.
A highly anticipated meeting between Xi and Biden at the APEC summit in San Francisco next month has yet to be publicly confirmed by Washington or Beijing.
Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bob.simison@caixin.com)
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