Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, met with the governors of five states on Tuesday in Seattle to discuss deals that included support of clean energy businesses, including nuclear power, according to reports on the head of state visit.
President Xi gave a speech in front of 650 business representatives in Seattle that touched on a number of items that have put a strain on U.S.-Chinese relations, including cyber attacks, devaluation of the yen to support exports and restrictions foreign businesses face when trying to work in China and product piracy.
The assurances were met with some skepticism, Reuters reported. “Xi played a good hand,” said the director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy Scott Kennedy. The speech, he said, was big on reassurances and light on actual concessions.
But Chinese officials, before President Xi meets with President Obama in Washington, signed a deal with five governors that supported efforts to produce low-carbon energy, including renewable and nuclear, according to media reports.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Jerry Brown of California and Terry Branstad of Iowa attended the meetings, hosted by Jay Inslee of Washington.
It was also reported that, while President Xi is in the United States, an agreement was expected to be signed in that would map out collaborations between the University of Washington and Tsinghua University.
President Xi's visit comes on the heels of a business breakthrough with Britain regarding nuclear power. Chinese companies are expected to play a significant, but minority role in the financing of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power build in Somerset, England. In exchange, it is expected that Britain will give China General Nuclear and China National Nuclear Corporation a majority stake in a new nuclear power plant in Bradwell, Essex.
British Finance Minister George Osbourne said his week he wanted a “golden relationship with China that will help foster a golden decade for this country.”
A deal involving Britain, China and Hinkley Point C developer EDF is expected to be announced in October.