California Gov Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, California, Sept, 26, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

LOS ANGELES/BEIJING - Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, the most populous state in the United States, announced on Wednesday that he will begin a weeklong trip to China next week, focusing on climate action and partnership between two of the world's largest economies.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that China welcomes the upcoming visit of Newsom and his delegation to China and hopes that the visit will achieve positive results.

"We always encourage people from all walks of life in the two countries to have more frequent exchanges and support sub-national exchanges and cooperation in the economy, trade, science and technology, education, culture, and youth to bring more benefits to the two peoples and more positive energy to China-US relations," Mao said.  

Newsom said in a statement that he will travel throughout China and "meet key national, subnational and business partners to advance climate action, promote economic development and tourism, and encourage cultural exchange between countries to actively combat xenophobia".

China is one of California's largest trading partners and the western US state, home to around 40 million residents, attracts the biggest amount of Chinese investment, tourists and students among all US states

The visit comes ahead of the APEC summit in San Francisco this November, and "builds on a long history of partnership between California and China, with a strong bilateral foundation built by Governors Schwarzenegger and Brown and the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, as well as the Governor when he served as Mayor of San Francisco," the statement noted.

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"Our economies -- the second and fifth largest in the world -- are intertwined and have been since the earliest days of our statehood. Our people-to-people ties are long-standing and enduring," said the statement, adding that a significant percentage of Californians can trace their roots to China and the Gold State is proud to be home to the largest group of Chinese Americans -- 32 percent of Chinese immigrants to the United States live in California.

China is one of California's largest trading partners and the western US state, home to around 40 million residents, attracts the biggest amount of Chinese investment, tourists and students among all US states.

"California and China hold the keys to solving the climate crisis. As two of the world's largest economies, our partnership is essential to delivering climate action for our communities and beyond," said the governor, adding that "Our decades-long work together proves what we can accomplish together -- cleaning the air, accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, protecting people from extreme weather and conserving lands and oceans."

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The seven-day trip includes stops in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as the province of Jiangsu, according to the statement.