US ambassador to China brings strong delegation to oil, gas-rich region, promising closer cooperation

US ambassador to China Gary Locke has called for stronger cooperation with China in the energy sector in an attempt to "improve the living standard of people, create jobs and ensure sustainable development for the planet and its natural resources".

Locke made the call on Thursday in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, at a roundtable conference seeking potential collaboration between US companies and Xinjiang in energy and rail development.

He is the first US ambassador to make an official visit to the region in more than 20 years and also the first to lead a trade delegation to the region, which is rich in energy resources, including coal and oil.

Minister for Commercial Affairs at the US Embassy, William Zarit, said the western region of China represents an enormous and relatively untapped area that is ripe for economic growth.

Opportunities abound in Xinjiang, with rich energy resources that require an advanced local industry to both leverage and transport.

Locke said China is seeking to tap and develop other sources of energy, such as solar and wind. "China and the US could cooperate with each other as well as learn from each other," he said.

The nations are the two largest consumers of energy, and the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.