President Xi Jinping met Gavin Newsom, governor of the US state of California, in Beijing on October 25, 2023.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Gavin Newsom, governor of the U.S. state of California, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, October 25, 2023. (Photo: Xinhua)

Thirty-eight years ago, Xi, then secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhengding County Committee in Hebei Province, visited the United States for the first time, with his first stop San Francisco in California. 

Meeting Newsom, Xi said he still had a deep impression of California. He said the foundation of China-US relations lies among the people, the hope is in the people, the future lies in the youth and the vitality lies in sub-national areas.

He said he hoped Newsom's visit would enhance mutual understanding and play a positive role in expanding cooperation between China and California, and promoting the sound and steady development of China-US relations. 

Over the past few decades, sub-national cooperation has flourished between China and the US. 

California today established a formal friendly cooperation relationship with Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces. 

Relevant counties and cities in California have 57 pairs of sister cities with the Chinese side. California is one of the major Chinese settlements in the US and one of the states with the highest concentration of Chinese students. 

These facts illustrate the significant role sub-national exchanges play in China-US relations.

(Edited by Sun Tianren and Li Yingying; Source: Xinhua)