Manchin had the distinction of being the first sitting governor from the state to make such a trip, and was joined by others from the coal mining community already established in China or looking to break in.

"I think we opened the door to more opportunities for our state's manufacturers and for a cleaner and safer coal mining industry in Asia," he said.

The country would also be able to share in return, Manchin noted. Because of the country's status as the world's largest coal producer, and as a region that received more than 70% of its power from coal-fired facilities, its experimental work on coal-to-liquids could be something the state could learn from.

The state need not be concerned with losing jobs to China as that country's industry grows, he said.

"I see an opportunity to export more of our products and technology to a country that can learn a lot from West Virginia," Manchin said.

"This trip was a major step in developing relationships to reach that market.

"Without a doubt, when it comes to coal, West Virginia is a world leader in safety, and I think this is an ideal time to share that expertise with the Chinese."

Manchin said he shared with Chinese industry representatives that the goal in West Virginia is zero fatalities, and that the state was rapidly making progress in equipment and procedures that will help it reach that goal.

"I challenged them to set the same goal for their operations, and told them we could work together to find better and safer ways to mine coal," he said.

"Time will tell if we share the same goal for cleaner, safer coal mining. But I do think we have a lot to learn from each other, and I hope to learn more in the coming months and our next trip to China."