Sichuan struts its economic stuff in DC

As much as everyone loves pandas, Sichuan province offers more than the roly-poly bears.

Located in Southwest China and known as the home base of giant pandas, it is also the center of China's aviation, electronics, machinery and automobile industries.

Sichuan also has strong economic ties with the United States.

About 50 percent of Apple's iPad tablet devices are made in Sichuan, and 50 percent of the computer chips are assembled and tested in Sichuan, according to Yin Li, provincial governor, who led a delegation from China in a promotional event in Washington on Thursday.

Sichuan has trade relations with 221 countries and regions, with the US being its largest trade partner.

"Among the Fortune 500 companies, there are 72 US companies that have their branches in Sichuan," Yin said.

When President Xi Jinping met with Alaska Governor Bill Walker in April, he said that the regional collaboration is the most active part of China-US relations.

Li Kexin, minister at the Chinese embassy in Washington, said that there are great potential opportunities for Sichuan-US collaboration.

Since 1986, Sichuan has established relations with more than 130 US schools.

"In 2016, there were 330,000 tourists from US to Sichuan. And there were over 20,000 people traveling from Sichuan to the US," Yin said.

Brian Kenner, deputy mayor of Washington, has been to China twice in the past two years. Later this year, he will return and have a chance to visit Sichuan.

"We want to make sure that we can build and strengthen our relationships; we want to seek new sources of investments; and we also want to try some of the delicious food," said Kenner.

Yin, Kenner and Li, together with other officials from the Sichuan government, Chinese embassy and the Washington city government, witnessed the signing of two agreements.

Sichuan Railway Investment Group and AECOM signed a memorandum of understanding, and the HRHZ Group signed an agreement with Neuromorphic LLC.

Marwan Jabri, founder and CEO of Neuromorphic LLC, is working with HRHZ Group to establish the Sichuan Artificial Intelligence Center.

"The governor mentioned that there is an emphasis on the integrated or emerging industry of research and education in Chengdu. We're actually doing exactly the same thing that the governor suggests for artificial intelligence," Jabri said.

"This is really an opportunity for Sichuan, as artificial intelligence is said to be leading the fifth industrial revolution and has a very deep impact on humanity," he said.

Jabri, whose wife is from Chengdu, has been to Sichuan many times and was hard-pressed to name his favorite thing about the province.

"The Giant Buddha probably is the most impressive. But of course every time you go to Sichuan, it's just breathtaking from a nature perspective. The people are also very welcoming. The food is great, and the culture is strong," Jabri said.