On July 30 local time, an economic and trade exchange between China and the State of Maryland of the United States (U.S.) was held in Annapolis, capital of Maryland, during the visit of a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs led by Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Those who attended and addressed the event include Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the CCPIT, Lyu Jiang, Minister Counselor for Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., Susan C. Lee, Maryland Secretary of State, and relevant officials from the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Ren Hongbin briefed on the outcomes of the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and emphasized that China-U.S. relations are among the world’s most crucial bilateral relationships. The enhancement of cooperation between China and the U.S. as the world’s top two economies will benefit both nations and the entire world. The extensive interactions with American people from various circles during the visit made Ren deeply feel that, as President Xi Jinping noted, for the China-U.S. relationship, the hope lies in the peoples of the two countries, the foundation is laid by the two peoples, and the vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. The CCPIT stands ready to fully serve as a bridge and bond, work with Maryland to move forward practical cooperation between Chinese and U.S. enterprises and provide a platform for exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese and U.S. business communities.

Lyu Jiang stated that China stands as Maryland’s fifth-largest source of imports and Chinese enterprises have made substantial investments in Maryland’s industries involving agriculture, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronic products, and tourism, thus laying a solid foundation for cooperation. He noted that the third plenary session emphasized China’s commitment to pursuing its fundamental national policy of opening up to the outside world, which will bring more opportunities to U.S. enterprises. Lyu encouraged Maryland enterprises to gain an in-depth understanding of China and invest in China.

Susan C. Lee welcomed the visit of the delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs led by Ren Hongbin. She noted that Maryland is willing to build a long-lasting friendship with China and strengthen economic and trade cooperation in many fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber technology, clean energy, and agriculture.

Relevant officials of Maryland state departments said that Maryland has maintained friendly relations with several provinces and cities in China and long-term cooperation with China in many fields. They warmly welcome the visits of Chinese enterprises, research institutions, students, and individuals from all sectors.

Maryland boasts a time-honored history of cooperation with China. It established a Sister State relationship with East China’s Anhui Province in 1980. Later, Annapolis City, Baltimore City, and Montgomery County forged sister-city ties with Changsha, Xiamen, and Xi’an in China, respectively. The year 1996 saw the establishment of the Maryland Center China (MCC) in Shanghai, making Maryland the first U.S. state to establish a representative office in China.