NEW YORK, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. northeastern state of Massachusetts and China's Guangdong Province have celebrated the 35th anniversary of their sister relationship with a pledge for closer partnership.
The two sides expressed their willingness to expand cooperation in innovation, promote two-way investment and broaden people-to-people exchanges despite the trade dispute between the two countries, according to a press release issued by Chinese Consulate General in New York.
"For Guangdong and Massachusetts, we made our special friendship official in 1983," Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito said in a speech at the Guangdong-Massachusetts 35-year Celebration of Sister Relationship and Guangdong Investment Seminar held in Boston, capital of Massachusetts, on Friday.
"Our administration will continue to work with Guangdong to expand cooperation in life sciences, robotics, clean energy and high-tech sectors," she said.
Guangdong Vice-Governor Ouyang Weimin represented the province at the gathering.
"The relationship between Guangdong and Massachusetts is one of the earliest established relationships between China and the U.S. at the provincial level since China's reform and opening up 40 years ago," Ouyang said.
"To further strengthen our cooperation, we should expand our bilateral investment," said Ouyang. "Compared to our trade volume, the number of investments between Guangdong and Massachusetts is still relatively small."
Zhang Qiyue, Chinese consul general in New York, whose consulate region includes Boston, said that "subnational cooperation has always been the cornerstone of the U.S.-China relationship. Today, there are 49 pairs of sister states and more than 200 pairs of sister cities between China and the U.S."
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