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Seattle • Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington state Tuesday for a visit to the U.S. that will include talks on how U.S. and Chinese experts and businesses can collaborate on nuclear energy, smarter electricity use and other clean technologies.

Governors from five U.S. states met with Xi and six other Chinese leaders to talk about ways to work together on clean-energy technology.

The officials signed an agreement Tuesday to cooperate on boosting businesses that create renewable and clean energy.

The U.S. and Chinese officials touted their local efforts at reducing carbon emissions, including promoting solar and other renewables, low-carbon transportation standards, energy efficiencies and research into clean technologies.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says that by working together, the two countries can lower carbon emissions and grow their economies.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says governors and other local officials "can be the core for our national leaders to learn from."

The other U.S. governors at the meeting with Xi were Jay Inslee of Washington, Jerry Brown of California and Terry Branstad of Iowa.

The University of Washington and Tsinghua University in Beijing were expected to sign an agreement to collaborate on research related to clean tech. "These are the largest economies in the world, and we're the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, so improving cooperation and collaboration is really a necessity," said Brian Young, Washington state director of economic development for the clean-technology sector. "Second, it's a huge business opportunity. Both sides recognize the opportunity for job creation."

In November 2009, Obama and then-President Hu Jintao formalized a renewable-energy partnership, including the establishment of clean-energy research centers focused on electric vehicles, cleaner coal and water energy programs.

Last November, Obama and Xi announced that the countries would work together on climate change, with China announcing it would try to cap its greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 or sooner if possible.

By contrast, hacking attacks on the U.S., said to be directed by Beijing, China's moves to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea and human-rights issues have been sore spots.

Xi is traveling to Seattle on his way to Washington, D.C., for a White House state dinner Friday.

The trip comes at a time when China's economic growth has slowed considerably, and when the communist nation is overhauling its economy.