Area Development
As Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in Washington this week, GE has announced the creation of 4,700 U.S. jobs due to aviation, rail, and energy contracts signed with China. GE Aviation and the Chinese AVIC will create a joint venture to support a C919 narrow-body commercial jetliner.

On the energy front, contracts for gas turbines will create or support 2,100 U.S. jobs and a $350 million export opportunity. GE and Shenhua are also partnering on a coal gasification joint venture to support "clean coal" in China. This project will support hundreds of jobs in Houston, Texas; Greenville, South Carolina; and Niskayuna, New York.

GE and China's Ministry of Railways are working on upgrades to the Chinese rail system, as well as developing high-speed passenger rail technology for the U.S. market. The rail projects could total $1.4 billion to the United States and create or save 2,000 American jobs.