China's consul general Zhang Jianmin in San Francisco discussing artificial intelligence, giant pandas

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- China's consul general in San Francisco on Tuesday said collaboration in areas like artificial intelligence will be critical moving forward, pointing to the Bay Area's Chinese American community as uniquely positioned to help lead those efforts.

The remarks from Consul General Zhang Jianmin came during a news conference and one-on-one sit-down interview with ABC7 Eyewitness News. Zhang said recent trips to China by President Donald Trump and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie underscore the importance of continued engagement between the two countries.

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"They are in a unique position to be the bridge in promoting friendship and win-win cooperation between the two sides," Zhang said of the Chinese diaspora here in the Bay Area, noting the historic achievements of Chinese Americans in the United States, particularly in innovation-driven sectors.

"They made a lot of contributions to the success of the United States by helping to build the continental railway and to various aspects of the U.S. economy," Zhang said.

In addition to technology cooperation, Zhang addressed the possibility of giant pandas returning to San Francisco, a widely anticipated project among local leaders.

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"We are very encouraged by the strong commitment by all parties concerned: the San Francisco Zoo, the city hall, the Board of Supervisors," he said.

Zhang said progress has been made in recent years toward securing pandas but acknowledged more work remains.

"We hope that when we work together to bring about the success of this giant panda project, it will further cement the friendship and cooperation between our peoples," he said.

Looking ahead, Zhang said the consulate plans to continue working with Bay Area leaders to strengthen ties with China, framing cooperation in technology and cultural exchanges as critical to broader relations.

"It does not just affect the people of our two countries; it affects the whole world," Zhang said.