Exclusive: Alaska governor seeks business opportunities in China

World
Europe

03:01

The governor of the northwestern US state of Alaska is heading a business delegation in China, looking for more opportunities at a time when the world’s top two economies reached certain consensus during recent trade talks.

The latest agreement shows that China will significantly increase purchases of US goods and services, with agriculture and energy exports being underlined. Governor Bill Walker considers this a great opportunity for Alaska, the closest US state to China geographically.

“Alaska is a resource-rich state. We have commodities that are needed in China, so we are perfect fit for the situation we’re at right now,” Walker told CGTN in an exclusive interview, illustrating with its natural gas and metals, among other resources.

Bill Walker, governor of Alaska State of US, speaks to CGTN reporter at the sidelines of the fourth China-US Governors Forum held in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan, Tuesday. /CGTN Photo

Representatives from Alaska’s energy, seafood, tourism, craft brewing, baby good and other industries are among the trade mission.

During US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in November, the two sides signed a deal to jointly explore for natural gas in Alaska, which was seen as one of the major achievements of the visit.

“We think that project can last for hundreds of years, that’s nearly a trillion dollars of commodity coming over to China from the United States. That’s exactly the kind of projects the president is looking for – that size, that magnitude. They will start to offset the trade deficit,” said Walker, adding that China will help to develop the project.

Pipelines of natural gas are seen in North Slope in Alaska. China and Alaska has signed a deal to jointly explore for natural gas in the state. /VCG Photo

On Tuesday, Walker attended the fourth China-US Governors Forum in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. The event highlights trade and investment, green development and innovative economy. Walker said the Alaska LNG project is just a good case of green development.

“Natural gas is so clean-burning. It will offset the carbon emissions in China by eight million tons per year. So it’s the single biggest project that can combat some of the climate change issues. It’s a significant step,” the governor said.

Data from the Chinese commerce ministry shows that China has been the largest trading partner and export destination of Alaska since 2011. Walker’s office said Alaska exported more than 1.32 billion US dollars worth of goods to China in 2017. As a growing number of Chinese people travel to the state every year, Alaska is also trying to seek growth from this emerging sector.

Bill Walker delivers a speech at the fourth China-US Governors Forum held in Chengdu, Sichuan. /courtesy of CPAFFC

“One of our highest priorities is to get direct flights from China to Alaska and I think we’re close on that. To do that will be a tremendous benefit to the Chinese tourists as well as to Alaska, plus we want to come to China directly as well,” he said.

China will host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. During his meeting with Walker in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska in April 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping said he hoped Alaska and China could promote exchanges in winter sports.

“When President Xi asked me that when he was in Alaska, I said we’ll do everything we can,” said Walker, noting that a university of Alaska that specializes in winter sports just signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China and will provide training assistance to Chinese athletes.