China is the No. 1 job creator in part of Washington State's economy, Governor Jay Inslee told a group of Chinese journalists. [Special coverage]
Though without specific employment figures, he was sure that China supports "the largest number of jobs" specifically in the export sector of his state on the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
China has been Washington State's largest export market. By one estimate, in the year of 2014, China received goods worth more than 15 billion U.S. dollars from the state, supporting close to 90,000 jobs.
Nationwide, Chinese businesses are projected to support about 400,000 full-time jobs in the United States by 2020, according to Yang Jiechi, a Chinese state councilor.
For decades, attracted by lower labor costs, some U.S. manufacturers have moved their operations to other countries, including China. Now, the flow is starting to move the other way round.
Terrie Trujillo, an employee of Wanxiang Corporation America, an auto parts manufacturer based in Elgin, Chicago, shared with Xinhua her story of being part of a "growing" Chinese company, which now have some 5,000 employees.
"I didn't notice it was a Chinese company until I came for the first interview. But there is really no difference (compared with other local companies) when I work there," Trujillo said.
"Fifteen years later, I am still impressed with the company's continual growth and feel great pride that I have been a part of it," said Trujillo, who is also satisfied with the close distance between the workplace and her home.
What's happening to Trujillo is starting to take place across America. A host of Chinese companies have begun to make their presence in the U.S. market and employ locals, such as glassmaker Fuyao, textile manufacturer Keer Group, and Tianjin Pipe, just to name a few.
Meanwhile, as China and the United States are knitting an increasing close web of ties, China's economic growth means they are hiring to support market demands overseas.
"Each of us, the United States and China, has a stake in the other's economic growth," former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said at a banquet on Tuesday in honor of visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping.
U.S. soybean farmers know exactly what the statement means. About 60 percent of soybean produced in the United States is for export, and grossly half of the export goes to China.
Political bigwigs and business titans do have expectations that Xi's visit, with his first stop in Seattle, a major city in Washington state, could bring further boost for the economy.
"I'm very excited about this, because it is such an exciting moment of continuing to expand all of our relationships which are on so many dimensions," said Inslee, the governor.
Actually, Washington State's ties with China have already penetrated into the lives of average Chinese, with products from Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and other companies in the state being used on a daily basis.
Washington State sent more than 20 billion dollars worth of airplanes, wheat, apples and other products to China last year.
For Governor Inslee, beyond these tangible exports to China, he said he would offer President Xi a taste of the "very classic" local clam chowder as well as the fine wine produced in the state.
"We are very proud of that, we are proud of a lot of our products," he said.
