US state representatives at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), a trade fair encouraging foreign companies to do business in the mainland, are keen in keeping their business connections with Chinese provinces.

They see this as a way to offset the effects of the tariff issues between the world's two biggest economies that started in July 2018.

At the second annual trade fair held in Shanghai, at least seven US states sent trade delegations.

The US states' representatives noted the importance of regional connections during these trying times in global trade.

Craig McKinney, director of international affairs at the state of Kentucky's Cabinet for Economic Development reiterated, "When we talk about tariffs, there is a lot of negative news out there."

However, he added that "The activities at the subnational level are more positive" than what gets out through the media.

Because of the intensity and the losses in economy, many are thinking that a high degree of economic decoupling is unavoidable.

China's economic growth rate is at record lows with headwinds affecting very hard China's poorer provinces.

According to US state representatives at the trade fair, tariffs have not only increased the cost of many imported goods, but it has hit manufacturers, ports and exporters.

Lisa Brown, the Washington state director of commerce who was at the expo, commented that the current trade relationship is "challenging and difficult" specially in some sectors like cherries, seafood and wheat.

She expressed hopes "that talks will be successful" and added that though "there is some aid from the US government," that help is not enough to make up for the losses of farmers and agri-producers.

The state of Washington, which operates the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, sent a delegation to the CIIE because of worries that its trading ties with China were at risk.

Thirty-eight percent of all American exports to China depart from their ports.

China is its largest export destination while imports from the mainland make up about 60 percent of the state's total.

Seattle and Tacoma are two of the six ports on the west coast that wrote US President Donald Trump in late September and expressed their concern on the negative effects of the trade issues.

Brown stressed that the strong relationships between Chinese provinces and US states could help out in the trade barriers and tensions.

She was at the CIIE to create connections with provincial governments and companies in renewable energy, life science, and education.