Fiona Ma, Assemblywoman and Speaker Pro Temp of California (left), and Carmen Chu, San Francisco City Supervisor (right), take a photo with Ji Tao (second left) and Larry Lee of China Daily USA, after presenting a proclamation from the State of California for the newspaper's achievement. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

NEW YORK The China Daily US edition is stepping up its coverage of China-US economic relations and has designated 2012 as "The Year of Chinese Enterprises" with the promise of in-depth coverage on Chinese companies doing business in the US.

The initiative was announced in a series of promotional events that spanned the US over the past week. The launch events in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York City drew a great deal of attention from leading figures from the US government, think tanks and major figures in Chinese and US business circles.

At an event in DC, Charles Ding, president of Huawei North America, said China Daily launched a timely and "worthwhile initiative".

"Globalization is very real, and the US and Chinese economies and businesses are increasingly and more closely linked," said Ding, who added that China Daily's new venture not only recognizes this link but also encourages a more harmonious environment in which US-China economic relationship can continue to flourish.

Ding said Huawei brings innovation to the US. Last year, it invested more than $135 million into its research and development division in the US.

Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the US totaled $5 billion in 2010 and Chinese firms have created about 10,000 American jobs, according to a report released in May by the Asia Society and the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States.

Song Ru'an, deputy consul general of the Chinese General Consulate in San Francisco, said the figures show that Chinese FDI has enormous potential to create economic growth.

Having more Chinese companies invest in the US not only benefits Chinese businesses, American workers and the US economy, but it also strengthens China-US economic ties, Song said.

Aaron Brickman deputy executive director of Select USA, said "Chinese enterprises are still fairly small in the overall international investment position here in the US, but it's something that's changing as Chinese companies learn about the US and grow, contributing to our communities across the country".

Brickman said China Daily can play a role by covering the successes of Chinese companies in the US.

"If there is one thing that is an area for growth, it is the need to provide information to Chinese companies about how to invest in the US and why to invest in the US," Brickman said.

Chinese businesses have already established operations and created jobs in at least 35 states out of 50 states in the US. Among them, Texas has attracted the highest sum of investments from China, followed by New York, Virginia, Illinois, California, Michigan, Oregon, Delaware, New Jersey and Mississippi.

Ben Chen, president of the West Coast branch of China Unicom Americas, said China Daily's in-depth reporting on Chinese companies in the US will bring Chinese and US enterprises closer and enhance their understanding of each other.

"A lot of times, companies in the US don't know who we are and what we do," said Chen.

That sentiment was shared by Yuan Ning, president of China Construction America (CCA).

Yuan said CCA grew from a dozen workers to its current total of 900 employees in the US over 20 years and created American jobs during the current recession.

But CCA, a wholly owned subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd a Fortune Global 500 company -- is still unfamiliar to most American people, he said.

China Daily's initiative will be a great starting point for US readers to learn more about Chinese companies, Yuan said.

"As the only English language newspaper from China targeting American mainstream society, China Daily USA has the advantage and obligation to serve as a bridge between Chinese enterprises and American society when more and more Chinese companies are going global," said Larry Lee, president of China Daily USA.

Lee said the paper will devote its resources to more in-depth and more comprehensive coverage of Chinese enterprises in the US.

Ji Tao, US bureau chief of China Daily, said after launching this new venture, China Daily reporters will be sent across the US to report on Chinese enterprises in the country. As a multimedia group, he added, China Daily will present these stories in print, video and other social media platforms.

By the end of 2012, China Daily will compile and publish an album of stories and photos of Chinese enterprises in the US.

China Daily launched the US edition in March 2009, and China Daily USA Weekly in September. After two years, the US edition is now printed in nine cities across the US, with a circulation of 170,000 copies.

China Daily

Qiu Shaofang, Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, and Larry Lee talk during the event in Los Angeles. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

Left to right: Larry Lee, Du Zhijun, CEO at Chinatex Grains & Oils USA; Randall Love, principlal of advisory services at PKMG; Michael Li, director of advisory services of KPMG; Liu Shunan, vice president of COSCO Agencies LA Inc; Annie Ye, secretary general of China Enterprise Council. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

Matthew Karatz, Deputy Mayor, Office of Economic and Business Policy at City of Los Angeles, and Larry Lee talk during the event in Los Angeles. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

Larry Lee delivers a speech at the New York leg of the events. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

Lu Yongqing (right), minister of the Chinese embassy in the United States, talks with Fred Teng, chief editor of News China Magazine at the New York reception. [Sun Peng / China Daily]

Sun Guoxiang, Chinese Consul-General in New York, listens as Larry Lee, president of China Daily USA, introduces the newspaper's recent development. [Sun Peng / China Daily]

From left, Yuan Ning (first left), president of China Construction America, Lu Youqing, minister of the Chinese Embassy in the US, Mo Lya, bureau chief of Hong Kong-based journal Mirror, Larry Lee, president of China Daily USA, and Zhu Wanjin, deputy consul general in New York. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

From left: Liang Pubin, general manager for Hainan Airlines, Seattle office, Larry Lee, and Conrad Lee, Bellevue Deputy Mayor, in the Seattle event. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

From left: Chi Zhihang, Air China vice-president and general manager of North America , Larry Lee, Yang Rui, vice general manager of North America of Air China. [Zhang Yuwei / China Daily]

Guests at the New York reception take photos with a copy of China Daily USA. [Sun Peng / China Daily]