SAN FRANCISCO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Alaskan Governor Bill Walker will lead a trade mission to China in May for talks with Chinese decision-makers to expand the northwesternmost U.S. region's markets, the governor's office announced Monday.

At a press conference Monday, Walker detailed the new trade mission, called Opportunity Alaska: China Trade Mission. Besides meeting government officials, the delegation will also have networking events with industry representatives during their May 19-26 visit.

According to Chinese official data, China has been the largest trade partner and export destination of Alaska since 2011.

Alaska exported more than 1.32 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods to China in 2017, according to Walker's office.

Alaska is working to partner with an investment bank, a sovereign wealth fund and a China-owned oil company to develop a 45-billion-dollar project to export liquefied natural gas to China.

Last month it launched a new scholarship program to fund Alaskan students to study in China and is hoping to increase flights to the world's second largest economy.