HEFEI - Anhui will press ahead with its economic ties with the United States, said Wang Sanyun, governor of the eastern Chinese province.

"One out of every $10 in the import or export revenue in Anhui province is related to the United States. One out of 10 overseas enterprises investing in Anhui comes from the United States. One out of 10 Anhui enterprises investing overseas has landed in the United States," Wang said.

During an exclusive interview with China Daily before his trip to the US for the China-US Governors Forum, Wang boasted about Anhui's close relationship with the US. And the forum, he said, would definitely enhance the ties on a regional level between the two countries.

The US is now the No 1 export market and second-biggest trade partner for Anhui, Wang said. In 2010, the trade volume between Anhui and the US reached $2.65 billion. A total of 1,040 investment projects from the US were created in Anhui, bringing in some $1.8 billion of investment.

As early as 1980, Anhui and Maryland had established friendly ties. Today, Hefei, Wuhu and four other cities in the province are bonded with six US cities.

In the country's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), Anhui is expected to put more emphasis on new industries that will help save energy and reduce carbon emissions.

"The United States has great advantages in such areas and Anhui's development needs cooperation with the US," Wang said, adding that he will meet with US officials and entrepreneurs to explore more opportunities.

Wang said that the eastern province is especially interested in areas such as information technology, energy efficiency and environmental protection, biotechnology, green energy, high-end equipment, green automobiles and public security.

Lying in the heartland of the Yangtze River Delta, Anhui is on the frontier of China's national strategy to develop the central and western parts of the country. Energy, food, labor and research are the four pillars of Anhui's rich resources.

Anhui is one of the country's top production bases for coal and coal-related electricity. In 2010, the grain output in the province reached 30.8 million tons - sixth in the country. Every year, some 10 million people from Anhui take up work across the country. There are some 1 million technical staff members in the 100 institutions of higher learning in Anhui and 158 national or provincial research organizations.

Anhui sits on the conjuncture of a highly developed railway and road, air and river transportation networks. One-fifth, or 266 kilometers, of the newly opened Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway runs across the province. A new international airport in the provincial capital of Hefei will join the four existing airports in the province by 2012.

Concerning market potential, Anhui borders six provinces, has a dense population and its products can reach a huge market of 500 million customers, or 40 percent of the entire Chinese population.

The province is striding toward modern industrialization, with advantages in automobile, household appliances, construction materials and machinery.

Such rich resources and great future potential have turned Anhui into one of the primary choices for international investors, Wang said.

One of the most attractive places for investors is along the Yangtze River that flows from west to east across the province. Along the 400 km of riverbank lie 10 cities, including Hefei, Wuhu, Ma'anshan, and Tongling. Together they make up 45 percent of the province's population and contribute 66 percent to its GDP.

Named the Wanjiang Model Zone, it has attracted 9,782 projects with a total investment of 487 billion yuan within one year, thanks to favorable policies in investment, subsidies and loans.

The world's largest package delivery company opened a facility in Hefei last October. UPS consolidated many operations across Asia-Pacific countries into the 4,500 square meter building, including accounts payable, key entry work and vendor maintenance. It was expected to create 600 jobs in the region.

Wang pointed out that despite the differences between China and the US in national conditions and cultural backgrounds, both shoulder important missions in the world's development and face the same challenges spanning trade, environmental protection and technological innovation.

Only by enhancing cooperation and putting aside differences can the two reach ideal results, Wang said.

China Daily