US-China Business Council Programs

2004 Meetings and Events

January | February | March | April | May | June
July | August | September | October | November | December

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JANUARY

Washington: Meeting
US-China Logistics Conference Planning Meeting
Deputy Assistant Secretary Hank Levine and the USCBC reviewed the proposed agenda, prioritized industry's concerns, and incorporated industry's input. (Jan 7)

Washington: Briefing
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Meeting
Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) James Mendenhall debriefed members on the November bilateral intellectual property meetings in Beijing. (Jan 8)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Panel on Congressional China Issues in 2004
Featured Everett Eissenstat, Chief International Trade Counsel, Senate Finance Committee; Brian Pomper, International Trade Counsel; Democratic Staff, Senate Finance Committee; John Foarde, Staff Director, Congressional-Executive Commission on China; and Frank Record, Senior Professional Staff Member, House International Relations Committee. (Jan 15)

Washington: Quarterly WTO Working
Group Briefing
Wendy Cutler, assistant USTR for North Asian Affairs, and Charles Freeman, deputy assistant USTR for the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and Mongolia, briefed Council members on the current status of China's compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. (Jan 26)

Washington: Meeting
Financial Services Meeting
Featured Pat Powers, director, China Operations, USCBC. (Jan 27)

28-29 Washington: Forecast 2004
Washington Reception
Reception for Forecast 2004 guests, speakers, members of Congress, Congressional staffers, and members of the Bush administration. (Jan 28)

Forecast Conference
The USCBC launched its annual Forecast conference with an evening reception on January 28 that featured guests from the US government and the PRC embassy.

The conference began the next morning with a discussion on China and the global economic climate led by William Belchere of JP Morgan Chase & Co. (HK) and Pieter Bottelier of the Johns Hopkins University, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. Scott Kennedy of Indiana University, Fu Li of Tektronix, Inc., and Matthew McConkey of Coudert Brothers then spoke on Chinese trade associations and interest groups. Jonathan Pollack of the Naval War College and Evan Medeiros of RAND Corp. discussed China's foreign relations in 2004 and implications for US-China engagement. The luncheon program featured the Honorable James Sasser, former ambassador to the PRC and US Senator from Tennessee, and Clyde Prestowitz, president of the Economic Strategy Institute, who exchanged views on current politics. The afternoon panel, which featured Steve Monaghan of UPS and Ira Smith of Scala North America, focused on China in the global supply chain. After the last panel, member company representatives met with USCBC staff for tailored, individual strategy sessions. (Jan 29)

New York: China Business 2004
The Business Climate in 2004 and New Openings in Financial Services
Featured Robert Kapp, president, USCBC; Patrick Powers, director, China Operations, USCBC; and Auria Styles, manager, Business Advisory Services, USCBC. (Jan 30)

FEBRUARY

Minneapolis: China Business 2004
David Raisbeck, vice chairman, Cargill; Robert Kapp, president, USCBC; Patrick Powers, director, China Operations, USCBC; and Auria Styles, manager, Business Advisory service, USCBC discussed China's Business Climate: Trends and Outlooks for 2004. (Feb 3)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Taiwan's March 20 Presidential Election: Prospects for US-China and Cross-Strait Relations
Featured Richard C. Bush, senior fellow and director, Center for Northeast Asia Policy Studies, the Brookings Institution. (Feb 19)

Washington: Reception
Reception to welcome USCBC's new chair, Mike Eskew, chairman and CEO of UPS. USCBC President Robert Kapp offered brief remarks. The reception was attended by over 200 guests, including members of Congress and the PRC embassy, a delegation from Shijiazhuang, and USCBC members. (Feb 25)

Shanghai: Luncheon
Shanghai World Expo 2010: Opportunities for US Companies
Featured Zhou Hanmin, deputy director, Shanghai World Expo Coordination Bureau. (Feb 26)

MARCH

Washington: Seminar
The Mainland China-Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA): What It Is and What It Means for US Companies
Featured Eden Woon, director, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Clement Leung, deputy director general of Trade and Industry, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and Jeffrey Bader, Stonebridge International LLC. (Mar 5)

Hong Kong: Meeting
The View from Washington: New Developments in US-China Relations Series
Featured USCBC President Robert A. Kapp. Kapp visited Hong Kong to meet with members and to discuss the current state of US-China relations, the sentiment of Congress and the Bush administration on China, the political climate inside the beltway in the run-up to the presidential elections, and what this all means for US business. (Mar 15)

Suzhou: Luncheon
The View from Washington: New Developments in US-China Relations Series
Featured USCBC President Robert A. Kapp. Kapp visited Suzhou, to meet with members and to discuss the current state of US-China relations, the sentiment of Congress and the Bush administration on China, the political climate inside the beltway in the run-up to the presidential elections, and what this all means for US business. (Mar 18)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
The Department of Commerce Advocacy Center's New Initiatives & Opportunities in China. Featured Dan Bloom, director of the Trade Advocacy Center, Department of Commerce. (Mar 18)

Beijing: Meeting
The View from Washington: New Developments in US-China Relations Series
Featured USCBC President, Robert A. Kapp. Kapp visited Beijing to meet with members and to discuss the current state of US-China relations, the sentiment of Congress and the Bush administration on China, the political climate inside the beltway in the run-up to the presidential elections, and what this all means for US business. (Mar 19)

Washington: Meeting
DOC-USTR Meeting with USCBC Members on the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). Deputy Assistant USTR for China Charles Freeman and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia and the Pacific Henry Levine discussed the build-up to April's enhanced JCCT meeting held in Washington, DC, between Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, USTR Robert Zoellick, and PRC Vice Premier Wu Yi. (Mar 22)

APRIL

Washington: Issues Luncheon
China in a Changing APEC
Featured Lauren Moriarty, US senior official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Coordinator for Economic Issues in the US Department of State's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (April 15)

Washington: Dinner
National Committee on United States-China Relations, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the USCBC hosted a reception and dinner in honor of PRC Vice Premier Wu Yi, senior members of the Chinese delegation to the US-China JCCT, and CCPIT business representatives. The vice premier gave a speech preceding the dinner to more than 450 guests. (April 22)

Washington: Meeting
Sharon Mann, senior director, US DOC Trade Facilitation Office (Beijing). The Department of Commerce's Trade Facilitation Office was established to assist American executives better understand and take advantage of business opportunities associated with China's WTO accession as well as to address WTO-related concerns. This meeting was designed to allow Mann to debrief USCBC members on the Trade Facilitation Office's current focus and activities as well as to better understand member company's concerns and priorities. (April 26)

MAY

Beijing: Conference
US-China Logistics Conference
USCBC, the Coalition of Services Industries, the Department of Commerce, and the National Development and Reform Commission held a two-day seminar on logistics in China. Speakers from the United States discussed issues associated with the development of the US logistics systems. PRC speakers discussed issues associated with modernizing China's logistics industry. (May 12-13)

Washington: Breakfast Meeting
Breakfast Meeting in Honor of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Vice Chair Zhu Zhixin.
Vice Chair Zhu led a delegation to the United States for the second meeting of the US-China Economic Development and Reform Dialogue. The dialogue was chaired by Zhu and by Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs Alan P. Larson. The dialogue focused on the following issues: macroeconomic controls and risk management; investment as an economic driver; rustbelt revitalization; energy; and telecommunications. (May 12)

Washington: Meeting
The "2008 Olympics: Do Opportunities for US Companies Still Exist?" meeting featured

Shanghai: Luncheon Discussion
Luncheon discussion "Trading and Distribution Rights: What Changes and What It Means" featured John V. Grobowski from Baker & McKenzie and Thomas M. Shoesmith from Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP. (May 27)

Beijing: Governor's Forum Luncheon
Featured Chongqing Mayor Wang Hongju and Vice Mayor Wu Jianong. Co-hosted with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.(May 28)

JUNE

Washington: Biennial Gala 2004
With roughly 370 guests in attendance, including corporate executives, academics, and US and PRC public officials, the USCBC Biennial Gala honored PRC Ambassador Yang Jiechi. UPS Chairman and CEO Michael L. Eskew, as USCBC chair, welcomed guests on behalf of the USCBC and presented Yang with a distinguished service award. After Yang's brief remarks, United States Institute of Peace President Dr. Richard Solomon delivered the dinner address, "Managing the Great Asian Transformation: Challenges and Opportunities in US-China Relations." (June 3)

Washington: 31st Annual Membership Meeting
The USCBC's 31st Annual Membership Meeting began on June 4 with a morning discussion on China's manufacturing, commodities, and transportation sectors led, respectively, by Loring W. Knoblauch, president and CEO of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.; David W. Raisbeck, vice chair of Cargill Inc.; and Alan P. Larson of the US Department of State. Charles E. Cook, Jr., editor and publisher of the Cook Political Report and political analyst for the National Journal Group, then gave a lively overview of the current state of US presidential politics. Stephen S. Roach, managing director and chief economist at Morgan Stanley, shared his entertaining and valuable perspective on the Chinese economy in his luncheon keynote address, "China's Economic Prospects: The Boom Heard Round the World?" (June 4)

Washington: June Issues Luncheon
Featured Joseph Donovan, director, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs, and several members of his China Desk staff for an informal, off-the-record discussion on current US-China issues. (June 17)

Washington: Breakfast Meeting
Breakfast Meeting in Honor of Ministry of Information Industry (MII) Minister Wang Xudong featured Wang and an MII delegation. (June 21)

JULY

Washington: Quarterly WTO Working Group Briefing
Featured Charles Freeman, assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) for the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and Mongolia, and the entire China desk for an informal, off-the-record discussion on the current status of China's compliance with its WTO commitments. (July 15)

Beijing: Reception and Dinner
The USCBC and AmCham-China co-hosted an informal dinner reception with a US Congressional staff delegation led by Matthew Szymanski, chief of staff and staff director for the House Small Business Committee and chief counsel to Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL). The delegation met with PRC government officials to discuss monetary policy, market access, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, regional security issues, nonproliferation, counter-terrorism, technical trade barriers, counterfeiting, and IPR. During dinner, the delegation discussed similar issues with the resident business leaders. (July 26)

Washington: Meeting
Mark Cohen, IPR Attache (designate), at USCBC
Pending final clearance, Mark Cohen, currently at the US Patent and Trademark Office, was asked to assume the newly created Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Attache post at the US Embassy in Beijing in late August or early September. Participants discussed with Cohen company concerns and US government initiatives pertaining to China's IPR regulatory framework and enforcement efforts. (July 28)

AUGUST

Beijing: Luncheon
Governor's Forum Luncheon on Anhui Province
This was the second in our new series of "Governor's Forum" programs, co-hosted with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), in which we invited provincial leaders to meet with our members in Beijing. (Aug 18)

SEPTEMBER

Beijing: Reception
Celebrating Outgoing USCBC President Robert Kapp
Following the USCBC delegation's visit to the trade fair in Xiamen, Fujian, a cocktail reception in honor of outgoing President Robert A. Kapp was held in Beijing. Roughly 100 guests attended the event. (Sept 9)

Washington: September Issues Luncheon
Featured Lael Brainard, former deputy assistant to the President for International Economics (Clinton Administration) and Nelson Cunningham, managing director of Kissinger McLary Associates for a discussion on International Trade Policy and China Issues: Views from the Kerry Presidential Campaign. (Sept 16)

OCTOBER

Washington: Quarterly WTO Working Group Meeting
Featured Charles Freeman, assistant USTR for China Affairs, for a discussion on the current status of China's compliance with its WTO commitments. (Oct 5)

Washington: IP Meeting
The USCBC hosted a roundtable discussion on intellectual property (IP) rights in China with Ben Goodger, a Shanghai-based IP specialist with member company Rouse & Co. International. Goodger shared thoughts on the current regulatory environment and on how US companies can better protect their IP interests. (Oct 14)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Featured Randall Schriver, deputy assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs and Charles Freeman, assistant, USTR for China for the discussion "International Trade Policy and China Issues: Administrative Perspectives." (Oct 21)

Shanghai: China Operations 2004 Conference
Featured discussions on human resources problems and best practices, establishing shared service centers, China's soft landing and tightened credit policies, and antidumping and antitrust regulations. The luncheon speaker discussed the future of trading and distribution rights in China. (Oct 21)

Washington: Bob Kapp's Farewell Reception
Celebrating outgoing USCBC President Bob Kapp
In honor of outgoing USCBC President Kapp, a farewell reception was held in Washington. Roughly 115 guests attended the event. (Oct 25)

NOVEMBER

Washington: Reception for the National People's Congress (NPC) Delegation
Reception for the delegation for the Study of Company Law and Securities Law of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress, the State Council's Legislative Affairs Office, and the Law Department of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The reception was led by Wu Gaosheng, director general, Research Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee. (Nov 16)

Washington: November Issues Luncheon
Featured Robert Dohner, director, Office of East Asian Nations, US Department of the Treasury, for a discussion on China's currency and other economic issues. (Nov 18)

New York: Financial Services Meeting
USCBC Financial Services Group Meeting with NPC, State Council, and CSRC Company Law and Securities Law Redrafting Delegation. Topics included possible improvements to PRC Securities Law and the positive role of foreign companies. (Nov 23)

DECEMBER

Washington: Welcome Reception for Incoming USCBC President, John Frisbie
Nearly 300 guests attended the reception at the Sackler Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, including PRC Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, who was in Washington, DC, for discussions with senior White House and Department of State officials. Minister Dai, Rep. John Shimkus (R-Illinois), USCBC Chair and UPS Chairman and CEO Michael Eskew, and other speakers addressed the attendees, including representatives of more than 100 USCBC member companies. Other dignitaries included Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas), PRC Ambassador Yang Jiechi, PRC Director-General of the Department of American Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs He Yafei, and former US Ambassador to the PRC James Lilley. (Dec 1)

Beijing: Meeting on Establishment of Trade Unions in Foreign-Invested Enterprises (FIEs)
Featured Mr. Ma Jianjun, a partner in the Jun He Law Firm Shanghai office, for a discussion on the establishment of trade unions in FIEs and the legal requirements for companies under existing PRC trade union law. (Dec 10)

Shanghai: Meeting on Establishment of Trade Unions in FIEs
Featured Mr. Ma Jianjun, a partner in the Jun He Law Firm Shanghai office. (Dec 16)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
US Visas for China Business: Update on Policy and Practice
Featured Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, US Department of State, Janice Jacobs. (Dec 16)