Hoeven, Potts, Chinese Officials Sign Accords To Develop Educational, Cultural, Trade Relatons

Hoeven, Potts, Chinese Officials Sign Accords To Develop Educational, Cultural, Trade Relatons

Gov. John Hoeven and Mr. Wang Quanshu, Senior Advisor of the Henan Provincial People's Government in the People's Republic of China, and leader of the Province's delegation, signed a memorandum of agreement today covering a range of cultural, educational and economic fields. The agreement pledges "to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples, and develop friendly and cooperative relationship between the province and state…" North Dakota University System Chancellor Robert L. Potts signed a separate educational agreement to promote further educational exchange with the province on behalf of the higher education system.

"We have laid the foundations for an educational, cultural and trade relationship with Henan Province," Hoeven said. "This agreement further promotes our mutual interests and advances the interest of trade for North Dakota businesses and farmers."

A delegation of North Dakota businesses visited Henan Province on a trade mission last year. The group included high protein feed producers, feed scientists and extension service executives. North Dakota State University subsequently signed a memorandum of agreement with Henan Agricultural University and has already exchanged faculty in an effort to promote relations between the two schools. Today's agreements express the state's and the province's desire to continue friendly relations and exchanges in various spheres of mutual interest.

Henan Province, a largely agricultural political subdivision of the People's Republic, has a population of 97 million people on a land mass similar in size to North Dakota. It is China's number one producer of wheat and ranks third in animal husbandry.

Also in attendance at the signings were Mr. Zhang Yazhou, President of the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Henan Province; Mr. Song Bingyao, Deputy Director-general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Henan Provincial People's Government; Mr. Zhang Chengzhi, Director-general of the Agriculture Development Office of Henan Province; Mr. Zhao Guangnan, Director of the General Office of Henan Provincial People's Government.; and Mr. Yan Jingwei, Interpreter of the Euro & American Division of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Henan People's Government.

http://www.governor.state.nd.us/media/news-releases/2005/09/050926.html