The first Hunan-North Carolina Online Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation was held on February 18, 2022. As part of the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the establishment of friendship province-state ties between Hunan Province and the State of North Carolina, it aimed to further promote practical cooperation between the two sides, and enhance friendship between the two people.

Hunan Vice Governor He Baoxiang and Secretary of the State of North Carolina Elaine F. Marshall attended and delivered speeches.

Mao Weiming, deputy secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and Hunan Governor, delivers a video speech at the first Hunan-North Carolina Online Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation.

Governor Mao extended congratulations on the opening of the forum. He mentioned that, Hunan and North Carolina have maintained friendship province-state ties for ten years. During the past decade, the two sides have advanced cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, and friendship state-province relation. A Hunan-North Carolina International Innovation Center was founded. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two regions have continued to work together with solidarity and mutual assistance.

Mao noted that, Hunan is currently grasping the historic opportunities brought about by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s inspection tour in Hunan, and the rise of central China, to develop world-class industrial clusters in construction machinery, rail transit, and medium- and small-sized aero-engines, and prioritize development of modern agriculture. Hunan strives to build itself into a national hub of advanced manufacturing, a technological innovation hub with core competitiveness, and an inland hub of reform and opening up.

There are four pairs of friendship cities in the two regions. North Carolina boasts notable advantages in agriculture and manufacturing, which have broad space for cooperation with Hunan Province. Mao expected, via the forum, to advance mutual benefit and trust, and facilitate practical collaboration in manufacturing, modern agriculture, cultural tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. North Carolina enterprises and people are heartily welcomed to work, study, or travel in Hunan.

Governor of the State of North Carolina Roy Cooper delivers a video speech. (Photo/Liu Shangwen)

Roy Cooper said that, North Carolina has rich labor force, good infrastructure, and outstanding educational institutions. It is at the world’s forefront in terms of biological technology and manufacturing, and has been striving for a marvelous goal of achieving clean energy economy. North Carolina and Hunan have conducted fruitful cooperation in recent years. For instance, the Hunan-North Carolina International Innovation Center was founded, and many Chinese enterprises started their business in North Carolina. The state-province friendship has greatly supported the sustainable development of the state. He hoped to further strengthen cooperation with Hunan and other partners worldwide, to create a more prosperous future.

Persons in charge of the foreign affairs and economy and trade departments in Hunan and North Carolina made presentations. A cooperation agreement between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Hunan Sub-council and the North Carolina Economic Development group was inked. Beyond that, the CCPIT Changsha and Zhuzhou branches respectively communicated and reached cooperation agreements with the City of Charlotte Economic Development Department and the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn