Lawmakers approved a nine-day trip to the Liaoning Province to meet with government and business leaders.

House Majority Leader Dave Clark and Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble will lead the 12-person delegation.

"The whole idea is to create better ties," said Mike Christensen, director of the Legislature's office of research and general counsel. "It is a way we can improve trade relations."

Huntsman led a delegation that included Utah business leaders and top legislators to China in mid-October to drum up economic development opportunities. House Speaker Greg Curtis participated in that trip.

He will not be a member of the legislative trip.

A delegation from Liaoning, which is about 600 miles from Beijing, visited Utah a little more than a year ago.

At that time, Utah's lawmakers promised to return the gesture.

Legislative leaders have not determined which lawmakers will participate in the state-funded visit.

- Matt Canham