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Consul General Hong Lei Attends the Grand Opening of the Michigan-China Innovation Center
2017-04-10 03:25

On April 10, Consul General Hong Lei was invited to attend the Grand Opening of the Michigan-China Innovation Center in Detroit, Michigan. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan-China Innovation Center Director Brian Connors and more than 80 guests from the local government and business communities attended the event.

Consul General Hong Lei said in his remarks that last May, Politburo Member of the CPC Central Committee and CPC Secretary of Guangdong Province Mr. Hu Chunhua and Governor Snyder witnessed the signing of the MOU for the Innovation Center. With great support from Governor Snyder and Mayor Duggan, the Center is now in full operation in less than a year. We would like to express our warmest congratulations in this regard. At present, the relations between China and Michigan and China and Detroit continue to develop with increasingly active economic and trade, cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation. I believe the Center will play an important and positive role in strengthening China's cooperation with Michigan.

Consul General Hong Lei said that a few days ago, President Xi Jinping and President Trump had their first meeting at Mar-a-lago in Florida. The two heads of state built good personal relations and increased mutual understanding and trust. At President Xi's invitation, President Donald Trump will pay a state visit to China later in 2017. The two leaders exchanged views on China-US relations and major international and regional issues of common concern and agreed to promote greater development of the bilateral relations on a new starting point, which charts the course for our relations. Both sides announced to establish four high-level dialogue mechanisms, including diplomatic and security dialogue, comprehensive economic dialogue, law enforcement and cyber-security dialogue, and social and cultural dialogue, providing platforms for deepening cooperation in various fields. With joint efforts from both sides, we are confident that China-US relations will continue to march forward and friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and Michigan will surely embrace a more promising future.

Governor Snyder congratulated the Center on its opening and said that Michigan's relations with China are developing very well. Many Chinese companies have invested in Michigan and succeed. Michigan's exports to China are expected to further expand. Michigan and China are carrying out tourism-related cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two sides are highlighted by Detroit Symphony Orchestra's visit to China this summer and Detroit Institute of Arts' plan to host a China-themed exhibition. Michigan-China Innovation Center is committed to the promotion of Michigan-China cooperation from a new perspective, in a new way and in new areas so as to consolidate and develop the long-term friendship and cooperation.

Mayor Dugan said that the future of Detroit lies in a good relationship with China. At the suggestion of Governor Snyder, I accompanied him in his visit to China last November, which further deepened my understanding of the country and its people and I managed to persuade Governor Snyder to set up the Michigan-China Innovation Center in Detroit. The establishment of the Center is an important step in the expansion of Detroit's cooperation with China by Detroit and will push forward the development of our partnership.

Director Conners said that the establishment of the Center will not be possible without the support from Governor Snyder, Mayor Dugan and the Chinese side. The Center will endeavor to promote Michigan in China, facilitate industries and technology docking, attract investment, create jobs and further expand Michigan's cooperation with China.

The establishment of Michigan-China Innovation Center is the consensus reached by Politburo Member of the CPC Central Committee and CPC Secretary of Guangdong Province Mr. Hu Chunhua and Governor Snyder during Mr. Hu's visit to Michigan in May, 2016. The Center aims to promote Michigan and China to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with their respective strength in trade, investment, science and technology and other areas.

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