HOUSTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Attending China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a good way for Houston companies to cultivate business opportunities with the world's second largest economy, a local politician has said.

Interviewed by Xinhua at the pre-mission briefing for Houston companies attending the upcoming CIIE, Texas State Representative Gene Wu said Houston companies should take this opportunity to build relationship with China.

"This is the part of a maintenance process that we have to cultivate and manage our relationships, our friendships and our partnerships. We have to go and build these bridges and to make friends and remind them that we are here as partners no matter what is happening in Washington D.C.," he said.

Wu attached great importance to U.S.- China trade relationships which have been carefully built by the two countries in the past decades. According to him, "so much repair needs to be done" due to the trade disputes United States and China have experienced over the past year.

Acknowledging the challenges, Wu is still optimistic about U.S.-China trade relationship in the long run because the relationship is important to the world.

"China and the United States are two powerful countries and economies in the entire world," he said. "If we can learn to trade and enjoy a prosperous and peaceful relationship, then this will be the greatest partnership in the history of mankind."

Organized by Greater Houston Partnership, a delegation of more than 20 business leaders in Greater Houston will go to China for the second CIIE early next month.