--- --- # China, California relations boosted at business forum  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ A series of new cooperation agreements were signed during the 2025 China-California Business Forum in Los Angeles on June 2\. RENA LI / CHINA DAILY By RENA LI The 2025 China-California Business Forum in Los Angeles has delivered a strong message of cooperation and mutual benefit, as government officials and business leaders from both sides gathered to promote trade, investment and climate collaboration amid growing global economic uncertainty. Now in its seventh edition, the forum serves as a flagship platform under the China Provinces and U.S. California Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment Cooperation. This year’s event featured East China’s Fujian province as the Guest Province of Honor and saw the signing of several new cooperation agreements across trade, green development and education. Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Guo Shaochun opened by highlighted the long-standing economic ties between China and California at the forum on June 2. “China has remained California’s top trading partner for 15 consecutive years,” he said, noting that California exported $15.1 billion in goods and $8.8 billion in services to China in 2023 alone. “Specifically, around 40% of the huge trade in goods between China and the U.S. enters through the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs,” Guo said. He also pointed out China’s role as the ninth-largest source of foreign direct investment in the state, supporting over 25,000 jobs, while more than 50,000 Chinese students contribute significantly to California’s economy each year. Toks Omishakin, California’s secretary of transportation, said China is “pioneering” battery-swapping technology, which enables electric trucks to quickly replace an exhausted battery with a fully charged one. “Hopefully in the coming months, we will be able to initiate a small battery-swapping electric-truck demonstration project in California,” Omishakin said. The California State Transportation Agency has partnered with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, California-China Climate Institute, UC Berkeley and others to advance green shipping corridors, the secretary said. “In March, we convened a forum to examine the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Shanghai Green Shipping Corridor, a first-of-its-kind partnership to decarbonize one of the world’s busiest maritime routes,” Omishakin said. “Linking the two sides through this green shipping concept will continue to be a game changer.” Representing this year’s guest province, Fujian Vice-Governor Wang Jinfu emphasized the deepening ties with California in areas such as trade, education and people-to-people exchange. “Though separated by oceans, Fujian and California share a long history of interaction,” Wang said, citing the century-old Guling story as a symbol of enduring friendship between the Chinese and U.S. people. Fujian’s exports, including textiles, shoes and furniture, have found strong markets in the U.S., while California’s high-tech and agricultural products are welcomed in China. “The products of both sides have clear comparative advantages and complement each other well,” Wang said. He also highlighted growing educational and cultural exchanges. “There is broad space for collaboration between Fujian and California.” Guling, also known as Kuliang, is a historic summer resort in Fuzhou, Fujian province. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became a cherished haven for many U.S. families, who developed deep and lasting ties with the local community and culture. Today, their descendants have come together to form the “Kuliang Friends,” a group dedicated to honoring this shared heritage and preserving the enduring friendship between China and the United States. China is a top export market and trading partner for Los Angeles businesses, including the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, according to Dilpreet Sidhu, deputy mayor of international affairs for the city. She had recently led a delegation to the 2025 Shanghai International Friendship Cities Forum, which concluded on May 31 “While in Shanghai, I had the great pleasure of helping to relaunch Delta’s direct flight between Pudong International and LAX,” Sidhu told the forum. Delta resumed non-stop service between Shanghai and Los Angeles on June 2. Sidhu also mentioned LA’s ongoing partnerships with China in education, climate policy, and tourism, noting the upcoming global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games as further opportunities for collaboration. “It’s great to have so many Chinese leaders come to California to show their interest in growing business opportunities,” said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “China has so much to offer America, and America has so much to offer China. 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