AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage is returning to the United States after several days in China, where he met with businesses in the hopes of attracting them to Maine.

The Republican governor is scheduled to return on Thursday. He left for Beijing on Saturday.

LePage officials said the governor had planned to meet with representatives from a company that’s considering a manufacturing project in northern Maine that could create several jobs. They said that the company is interested in the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone.

Loring officials told the Sun Journal that LePage was meeting with executives from North China Industries, known as NORINCO, regarding a potential rail car manufacturing operation at the former Air Force base.