by Xinhua writers Xu Jing, Xu Xingtang and Miao Zhuang

LEXINGTON, the United States, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and U.S. governors gathered here on Thursday, competing to promote their state or province for investment at the Fifth China-U.S. Governors Forum.

"I want to be a little bit more objective. I'll tell you not what I think, but what U.S. News (and World Report) just said," said Cyrus Habib, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Washington, grabbing the opportunity when he took the podium to present his state. "In the U.S. News ranked states in the United States, they ranked Washington state No. 1 overall."

The national media U.S. News and World Report published its yearly Best States Rankings on May 14, putting Washington state on top based on several criteria including health care, education, economy and opportunity.

"It is not a coincidence for Washington to get ranked the No. 1 place to do business and the No. 1 place to live," he said. "I always tell them the key is international relationships ... We are the No. 1 exporter per capita of any state in the country."

"We are the No. 1 source of U.S. imports into China and so our relationship with China is absolutely key central to the success that we have had now economically in terms of trade," he added.

Dianne Primavera, lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Colorado, advertised her state by saying "according to the U.S. News and World Report, Colorado is home to the No. 1 economy in the United States."

"Our business climate is an active mix of knowledge-based industries and entrepreneurial activity that drives successful startups," Primavera said. "Colorado welcomes the opportunity to do business with China."

Matt Bevin, governor of Kentucky and host of the event, was also eager to grasp the opportunity to talk about the benefits of his state.

"We have rivers and roads and railways that transect through this state. You can put goods on the Ohio River and take them straight to any port in China," he said. "We want you here, we want your investment here."

U.S. state of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee introduced his state as a neighbor of Kentucky, saying "when Kentucky or Tennessee has investment from companies, from countries like China, then we both benefit. We are a regional economy and what is good for one state and our region is good for another state in our region."

Local Chinese officials also presented their province or municipality.

Mayor of Chongqing Tang Liangzhi said the southwestern Chinese municipality has an important role in regional development and China's opening-up layout, and that he hopes to cooperate with U.S. states in many fields like intelligent industry, auto manufacturing, and environmental protection.

Liu Guozhong, governor of China's northwestern Shaanxi Province, deliberated on the long-standing history and culture, as well as the recent tax-cutting policies of his province, hoping to expand cooperation in technological innovation and environmental protection between the two countries.

Chinese and U.S. companies signed three cooperation agreements at the forum on Thursday. Meanwhile, China's southeastern province of Jiangxi and the U.S. state of Kentucky signed a memorandum of understanding.

Initiated in 2011, the China-U.S. Governors Forum has become an important platform to promote exchanges and cooperation between the local governments of the two countries.