He cites environmental protection and agriculture as examples of areas where collaboration will help

President Xi Jinping said he envisions great prospects for economic and environmental cooperation between local governments in China and the United States.

"The quality of cooperation at local government levels matters much to the implementation of State-level cooperation," Xi said at the third US-China Governors Forum in Seattle on Tuesday as he recalled his years of working in local government. "Hence, I have always attached importance to the local cooperation between China and the US."

He said the two nations can discuss and launch many cooperative projects to meet each other's needs. China's annual investment in the environment has reached approximately $200 billion in recent years, and local investment in the effort is increasing rapidly, Xi said.

"In this aspect, China has the need and market, while the US has the technology and experience," Xi said. As an example, he proposed that China's coastal provinces can cooperate with Washington state, since the latter has advantages and experience in such areas as environmental protection and coastal zone protection.

"The cooperation and communication between the two countries' local environmental protection efforts should be an important aspect in the joint actions on coping with climate change and pushing forward sustainable development," Xi said.

He also gave other examples of potential cooperation. Key agricultural states such as Iowa and Oregon can work with major agriculture provinces like Shaanxi, Hebei and Heilongjiang, he said. And California's Hewlett-Packard, which has an international computer production base in Chongqing, can deepen its cooperation on information technology.

Noting that the population governed by the six Chinese provincial-level leaders at the forum almost equals the entire population of the US, Xi said he welcomes all US states to cooperate with Chinese provinces.

Xi promised to push forward the Belt and Road Initiative as an effort to further open up China. And he reiterated his welcome to the participation of the US and all other nations in the program.

He said that in the next three years, China will provide financial support to 50,000 Chinese and US students participating in exchange programs, and that the US is expected to try to have more than 1 million US students learning Chinese by 2020.

The forum featured governors Jerry Brown of California, Rick Snyder of Michigan, Terry Branstad of Iowa, Kate Brown of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington state, as well as six Chinese provincial-level officials: Sichuan province Party Secretary Wang Dongming, Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun, Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan, Zhejiang Governor Li Qiang, Shandong Governor Guo Shuqing and Shaanxi Governor Lou Qinjian.

The governors from both sides, in addition to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, who could not attend in person, signed the Governors' Clean Energy and Economic Development Accord, agreeing to "work together to advance and sustain renewable energy and clean technologies in conjunction with economic development in our respective jurisdictions".

California Governor Jerry Brown said during a meeting with Xi after the forum: "We at the local level have the responsibility, the power and the opportunity to take very bold and creative initiatives. In order to really get at the threat of climate change, everyone has to do whatever they can. I don't want to underestimate the challenges. The world is not on track yet to deal with climate change. We have to make a turn. We have to make some very heroic decisions."

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said: "We have a shared opportunity and interest in helping lead the world in the transition to a clean energy future. It's encouraging to see governors from different sides of the ocean, and different sides of the aisle, coming together to do our part to make sure our children will thrive in a forward-thinking economy that reflects our commitment to protecting our air and water."

The Salem, Oregon, newspaper Statesman Journal quoted Oregon Governor Kate Brown as saying: "It is with great pride that I join my American colleagues and new Chinese counterparts in signing this accord. Environmental stewardship and economic development need not be mutually exclusive. I'm pleased that, working together, we will be able to advance this ideal to the benefit of all."

The forum was organized by Li Xiaolin, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship With Foreign Countries. This is the third time the association held such a governors' meeting. The others were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2011 and Tianjin in 2013.

Yang Yixi contributed to this story

chenmengwei@chinadaily.com.cn