Governor of California Gavin Newsom began his official week-long visit to China on Monday, assuring that his state will always be a partner on climate issues regardless America's presidential election next year.
“I want you to know, regardless of what happens nationally, sub-nationally, you have a partner in the state of California,” he said.
Attempting to reinforce California's role as a global leader on climate change, Newsom began his visit with a climate-themed discussion at the University of Hong Kong, where he told Chinese students and diplomats that they “can rely on California,”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during the fireside chat at the Hong Kong University in Hong Kong, October 23, 2023. /CFP
Despite notable tensions between China and the U.S. in recent years, the issue of climate change has seen the two countries' interests converge. Both countries appear to have fully re-engaged in the run-up to the next UN climate change conference, which opens November 30 in Dubai.
Newsom said the two countries have "long-standing partnerships" on the issue of climate change that he wants to build upon.
Li Yongsheng, deputy commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that China-U.S. relations “have shown positive signs of rebounding,” and that he believed Newsom’s visit will be productive.
On Tuesday, Newsom visited a bus depot in the city of Shenzhen, where he showed great interest in the double-decked e-buses and electric SUVs built by Chinese conglomerate BYD that were on display. Since 2017, the city's public transportation has undergone a green revolution with tens of thousands of buses, taxis and ambulances converting to electric. Now, it has become the first city in the world to have a fully-electric public transportation system.
A Yangwang U8 is seen during the 2023 Auto Shanghai, in Shanghai, China, April 18, 2023. /CFP
“We've been inspired by the extraordinary advancements in the last few years, to be able to scale this kind of bus network throughout an entire city in just a few years," Newsom said. "We have a lot of aspirations similarly in California, but I've never seen it done in this scale."
Climbing into BYD's all-new electric SUV Yangwang U8, Newsom appeared to be in awe as it performed a tank-turn on the spot, with all four wheels controlled by computer spinning independently.
"I want two of them," Newsom joked after his test drive as he called the technologies featured in the vehicle "next-level."
As the world's sixth largest economy, California has become a buffer that plays an increasingly crucial role in helping navigate the world's most important and complex bilateral relations.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at a ceremony to celebrate the growth of Special Olympics for disabled athletes at the Millennium Monument in Beijing, China, November 14, 2005. /CFP
Newsom's trip follows the footsteps of his predecessors, including Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger who have traveled to China exchanging experience and knowledge in reducing the effects of climate change. Since leaving office, Brown launched the California-China Climate Institute at the University of California, Berkeley that promotes joint research between the two countries.
The rest of Newsom's agenda include touring an offshore wind facility and touring Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory as well as signing agreements with leaders of various Chinese provinces to set mutual commitments on a host of climate goals.
Zhao Yuxia also contributed to this article.