BALDWIN PARK, Calif. (AP) -- Tension over espionage allegations and the accidental bombing by U.S. planes of China's embassy in Yugoslavia is taking a back seat to the nitty-gritty details of international trade between the two countries. A delegation from China's prosperous Jiangsu province, made up of more than 100 Chinese businessmen and government officials, arrived in California this week hoping to close deals on the purchase of medical technology and other goods. They also are looking for American companies that want to invest in the booming Jiangsu, a province of 72 million people that surrounds Shanghai on China's central coast. ``After 20 years of an open-door policy, Chinese people know better the importance of cooperation with the outside world,'' said Ye Jian, director general of Jiangsu's Commission of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade and leader of the delegation. ``America is very important for its developed economy, high-tech knowledge and also its capital.'' The visit, scheduled a year ago, isn't without political overtones. The governor of Jiangsu originally was scheduled to lead the group but stayed home, in part because of the bombing, Ye said. But in the big picture, the ongoing tension between China and the United States appears to have done little to alter day-to-day business between the countries, analysts said. Almost daily, Chinese ships disgorge tons of T-shirts, toys, shoes and other cargo in Long Beach and Los Angeles harbors. Passenger jets fly from U.S. airports to Beijing, Shanghai and other Chinese cities. And trade group's such as the Jiangsu delegation make deals with American companies. On Thursday, the delegation held one-on-one meetings with representatives from more than 200 American companies interested in doing business in China. One of them, Milton Philipson, president and chief executive of Domestic and International Electronics Group in Culver City, said the political tension was having little effect on the discussions. ``The name of the game is to get good products manufactured at very competitive prices,'' said Philipson, who has spent five decades in the import-export business. ``You have to separate the political problems of all countries, not just America and China. Political problems always exist.'' One reason trade continues to flow is because China badly needs U.S. currency to maintain its domestic economy. And China still wants U.S. support for its entry into the World Trade Organization. Entry to the body would enable China to trade on more favorable terms with WTO nations. ``It seems to me that fundamentally, U.S. and Chinese interests have not changed that much,'' said Greg Mastel, a China analyst with the Economic Strategy Institute in Washington. ``It was in their interests to negotiate a trade agreement a month ago and it's in their interests today.'' Since the Asian economic crisis began nearly two years ago, China has relied heavily on exports to the United States and Europe to keep workers employed as the central government privatizes costly, inefficient state-owned businesses. China also needs trade to generate the foreign currency needed to buy Western technology as it modernizes domestic industries and builds up its communications and transportation infrastructure. ``What they're anxious about is their economy is slowing down,'' said Marcus Noland, a senior fellow at the Institute for International Economics in Washington. ``The basic fundamental problem they face is they are saddled by these dinosaur state-owned enterprises which are incredibly inefficient.'' Another problem is China's lack of financial and marketing expertise, said Philipson. By supplying inexpensive textiles, electronics and other goods, China built up a huge trade surplus -- $56.8 billion in 1998 -- with the United States. But so far, Chinese companies have not been able to establish recognized and accepted brands that could boost sales further. ``There is a very strong effort now for Chinese industry to increase their distribution because they need money, capital but they're very, very amateurish'' compared to well-honed Japanese and Korean marketing techniques, he said. ``They really have a lot to learn about world markets,'' he said. -=-=- 