Gov. Linda Lingle will leave tomorrow on a two-week trip to China to promote tourism, trade and clean-energy projects.

The governor will lead a delegation of state business development and tourism officials on a six-city tour, with visits planned for Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Lingle is scheduled to meet with executives at Hainan Airlines, which is expected to offer the first nonstop flight service from Beijing to Honolulu early next year. The flights, which will start at one a week but could expand based on consumer demand, could bring more than 10,000 new visitors to the Islands each year.

The governor is also scheduled to meet with Jon Huntsman, the U.S. ambassador to China, about potentially expediting the visa application process for Chinese visitors to the Islands and the Mainland. The governor may ask for specific interview times for Chinese visitors at U.S. consulates and a process that would make it easier for last-minute travel arrangements.

The governor is expected to speak with Chinese commerce officials about opening a "Hawaii House" in Shanghai to showcase Island products, and about a Hawaii presence at the Shanghai Expo, an international fair next year.

Lingle acknowledged she will be leaving the state during debate about the impact of teacher furloughs and a projected $1 billion budget deficit through June 2011. The governor is scheduled to return on Nov. 13, the day layoffs are expected for up to 1,100 state workers to reduce labor costs and help balance the budget.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona will be acting governor during Lingle's trip.

"We can't just sit by and muddle through these very difficult times and hope things all go OK. We need to move the ball forward on all fronts," Lingle said at a news conference at the state Capitol.

While the immediate budget shortfall is important, she said, equally important is positioning the state for economic recovery.

"This is our opportunity to continue to cement relationships for the state of Hawaii with one of the most important countries in the world, and the largest market for products and services that exists on the planet," she said.

Marsha Wienert, the state's tourism liaison, said an increase in tourism from China would help reduce the state's dependency on visitors from specific regions, such as the western United States and Japan. She also said surveys have shown that Chinese visitors spend more per person in the Islands than other visitors. New visitors, she said, are also more likely to want to take in all of the Islands' attractions.

"We believe that China has phenomenal potential for us, not only to bring more visitors to the Islands, but to help us diversify our market mix of visitors," Wienert said. "So when we have downturns in the economy like this from one particular country, we're not so dependent on one geographic area of the country for our tourism industry."

Lingle and Ted Liu, the director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, will use state government money to cover airfare of about $1,870 each. Hotel and other expenses are being paid for by Chinese officials.

Lingle and Liu will be using personal funds to cover expenses in Hong Kong.

Kelvin Bloom, the chairman of the board of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, will travel only to Beijing and Shanghai. His airfare will be covered by the HTA, according to the governor's office.