CHENGDU – Governor Bill Walker and the Opportunity Alaska: China Trade Mission delegation attended the 4th Annual China-U.S. Governors’ Forum on Tuesday. The forum focused on trade and investment, the green economy, and economic innovation. Addressing the forum, Governor Walker shared his vision to expand trade between the 49th state and the world’s second-largest economy.

During their time in China, the delegation has already found success on that front. At the forum, Alaska Pacific University President Robert Onders signed a memorandum of understanding with Heilongjiang Province to cooperate on training athletes for Beijing’s 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The MOU is a step towards developing a year-round international Winter Olympic training center in Alaska, an idea that began with a conversation between Governor Walker and President Xi during the President’s trip to Alaska in April 2017.

Governor Walker and Heilongjiang’s Governor Wang Wentao also reaffirmed the sister-state relationship that Alaska and the Chinese province have shared since 1992. Their joint agreement includes working to establish direct flights between Anchorage and Harbin, and promoting exchanges of trade, logistics, education, culture, tourism, and sports.

During the forum, delegates from the Trade Mission also participated in seafood and travel industry seminars, and concluded the day by meeting face-to-face with more than 72 Chinese businesses, an opportunity set up by the China Investment Corporation, the world’s third-largest sovereign wealth fund.

The delegation now travels to Beijing to continue developing new trade opportunities for Alaska.

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