SAGINAW -- China's president is at the White House this week.
The U.S. is hoping this visit will strengthen relations and open more Chinese markets to American businesses.
Saginaw Valley State University has been selected to help make that happen.
It's a new program officials at SVSU say is a perfect fit.
Mainly, because China plays an important role for leading regional companies that partner with the university.
The president announces a 45 billion dollar trade deal with China Wednesday. It’s a deal Obama says represents an opportunity for American businesses.
"We want to sell you planes, we want to sell you cars, and we want to sell you software that offers opportunities for U.S. businesses, which ultimately translates into U.S. jobs," said President Obama.
The meeting between the world's two biggest superpowers comes on the heels of another big announcement at Saginaw Valley State University.
The institution is one of ten selected nationwide by the U.S. Department of Education to form an academic partnership program with China.
"This is a win for SVSU, and a win for the region," said Mark Potts, the coordinator of the International Academic Partnerships Program’s 2011 China Initiative.
Students will travel to China this spring to learn the culture and to help strengthen commercial ties locally.
"If through this we can help our students become more culturally sensitive and aware, then we become the region that people would like to invest in," said Potts.
The program coordinator says students who study abroad learn international business skills many Mid-Michigan businesses are looking for.
"We recognize the relationships, the deeper relationships that are forming between our region and China, whether that be at Nexteer, or DOW Chemical, or DOW Corning,” said Potts.
SVSU already has a well established relationship with China, more than 150 Chinese students are already enrolled here, and many students travel abroad to study there.
"Education in America is at the top of the world, so I think I can learn more here," said “Ben,” a Chinese student.
Whether it’s in Mid-Michigan, or at the White House, shared ground between China and the U.S. is being called the most important relationship on earth.
The international academic partnership program with China is still in its beginning stages, but school faculty hopes to have it underway by this summer.
Meantime, another topic being discussed at the White House is China's currency, which the president says is rising in value, but not fast enough.
