Recent Past Events

2007 Meetings and Events

JANUARY

Washington: Luncheon Honoring PRC Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Yang Jiechi
More than 100 guests attended the luncheon honoring Yang Jiechi. PRC Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, US deputy assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Thomas Christensen, and other PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and USCBC business leaders were among the guests. Yang's remarks focused on US-China relations, including the recently held Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) in Beijing.
A special thanks to all USCBC members who attended the luncheon on such short notice. Photos (Jan. 5)

Washington, DC: Reception with PRC Provincial and Local Commerce Officials
Co-sponsored by USCBC and the American Chamber of Commerce China, this reception featured a delegation of senior provincial- and local-level commercial officials from throughout China (Jan. 24)

Beijing: Issues Luncheon
Export Controls
Featured Christopher Padilla, assistant secretary for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, US Department of Commerce (DOC). (Jan. 25)

Washington, DC: Issues Luncheon
China Commercial Issues
DOC undersecretary for International Trade Frank Lavin discussed the SED held recently in Beijing as well as DOC's agenda in the coming months as the next SED meeting and a possible mid-year Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting approach. (Jan. 25)

FEBRUARY

Beijing: Briefing on the Strategic Economic Dialogue with USTR Officials
USCBC, US Information Technology Office, and American Chamber of Commerce China hosted a morning briefing with representatives from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) who were in town for discussions with their Chinese counterparts on the SED. (Feb. 2)

Forecast 2007 Reception and Conference
USCBC held its annual Forecast conference with an evening reception on February 7 with guests from Congress, the executive branch, the PRC embassy, and roughly 42 USCBC member-companies represented. The reception featured brief remarks by PRC Deputy Chief of Mission Minister Zheng Zeguang. Rep. Geoff Davis (R-4th KY), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-7th NY), Rep. Mark Kirk (R-10th IL), and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-2nd WA) were also present. (Feb. 7)

The conference, held the next morning, began with a talk on prospects for US-China relations by Harry Harding, director of Research & Analysis, Eurasia Group; former dean of George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. Cheng Li, visiting fellow, John L. Thornton China Center, The Brookings Institution; and William R. Kenan professor of Government and chair of the Asian Studies Program, Hamilton College, continued the program with a discussion on China's Leadership Politics and the 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress.

Jonathan Anderson, chief economist for Asia Pacific, UBS AG, then discussed China's Economy in 2007. Next, Robert Poole, vice president, China Operations, USCBC, spoke on key operating issues facing US companies in China. Brian Pomper, founding partner (former Chief International Trade Counsel for the Democratic staff, Senate Finance Committee); and Beau Schuyler, founder and principal (former legislative director for Congressman John Tanner [D-TN]), Parven Pomper Schuyler Inc, held a panel discussion on the new US Congress and China trade legislation. Delivering the luncheon keynote address, Ambassador Karan K. Bhatia, deputy USTR, described the administration's China trade agenda for 2007. (Feb. 8)

Minneapolis: Business Trends in China and US-China Trade Politics in Washington, DC
Featured USCBC's Beijing-based Vice President Bob Poole and Washington, DC-based Vice President Erin Ennis. (Feb. 13)

Washington, DC: Discussion
Ira Kasoff, the new deputy assistant secretary for Asia in the Market Access and Compliance division of the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration, discussed his plans for his new role and on recent meetings in Beijing between US and PRC related to the SED and JCCT. (Feb. 13)

St. Louis: Business Trends in China and US-China Trade Politics in Washington, DC
Emerson and Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. hosted this roundtable discussion which featured USCBC President John Frisbie and Beijing-based Vice President Bob Poole. (Feb. 15)

Washington, DC: Discussion
David Loevinger, the US Department of the Treasury's financial attache in Beijing, discussed recent financial meetings in Beijing between US and PRC officials. (Feb. 22)

MARCH

Beijing: Discussion
Featured Shang Ming, director general of the Treaty and Law Department at the PRC Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). (Mar. 1)

Washington: Roundtable Discussion
PRC Labor Contract Law
Featured Lesli Ligorner, Shanghai-based partner at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP. (Mar. 5)

Washington: Reception and Luncheon Honoring Assistant Minister He Yafei
Featured He, the current PRC assistant minister of Foreign Affairs. (Mar. 6)

Washington: Roundtable Discussion
China Antimonopoly Law
Featured Wu Zhenguo, director of MOFCOM's Antimonopoly Office, and Xie Lin, deputy section chief of MOFCOM's Antimonopoly Office. (Mar. 8)

Beijing: Roundtable Discussion
Stephen Claeys, deputy assistant secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, US DOC reviewed trade remedy concerns between the United States and China, market economy status for China, the countervailing duty (antisubsidy) case against China, and other areas of concern for US businesses in China. (Mar. 15)

Shanghai: Issues Luncheon
Branding and Advertising
Featured Joseph Wang, vice chair of Ogilvy & Mather China, and Paul French, general manager of Access Asia. (Mar. 20)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Newly appointed US Department of the Treasury Special Envoy for China and the SED Alan F. Holmer briefed member companies on his role as the special envoy and discussed his recent trip to China, where he met with PRC counterparts on SED issues, and plans for the upcoming May SED. (Mar. 26)

Beijing: Breakfast
This breakfast was co-hosted by USCBC and the American Chamber of Commerce-China and featured Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Frank Lavin. (Mar. 29)

Washington: Discussion
China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) Secretary General Yu Jianlong briefed USCBC member companies on CIETAC's work, discussed recent trends in arbitration in China, and provided an update on the number and type of cases CIETAC has arbitrated in recent years. (Mar. 29)

Washington: Debriefing
Assistant USTR Timothy Stratford, recently returned from two weeks in China, provided USCBC member companies with a download of his activities which included discussions with PRC counterparts on topics such as the SED, the recently filed WTO case on subsidies, and the enforcement of intellectual property rights. (Mar. 29)

APRIL

Beijing: Luncheon with US Secretary of Transportation
Featured US Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. (Apr. 13)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Branding and Advertising: Views from the Other Side
Joseph Wang, vice chair of Ogilvy & Mather China, and Paul French, general manager of Access Asia discussed branding practices and advertising strategies. (Apr. 19)

Shanghai: Luncheon
Featured Assistant USTR for China Tim Stratford. (Apr. 20)

Shanghai: Luncheon
Bill Noonan, vice president, Asia Pacific Development of W. W. Grainger, Inc., and Ben Martin, marketing director, Asia Pacific and Japan Services, Dell Inc. discussed how companies can successfully build and implement online sales and distribution networks in China. (Apr. 24)

Henan: Expo Central China 2007
Robert Poole, USCBC vice president, China Operations, lead a delegation of member company representatives to MOFCOM'S Expo Central China 2007. (Apr. 26-28)

MAY

Washington: A Discussion on the Global Services Sector
Featured former vice chair of Kissinger McLarty Associates, a strategic advisory firm chaired by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Richard W. Fisher, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. (May 14)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
A Preview of the SED II
Ambassador Alan F. Holmer, special envoy for China and the SED, US Department of the Treasury briefed members on the preparations and prospects for the second session of the SED. (May 17)

Beijing: China Operations Conference
USCBC's Beijing China Operations 2007 conference included a morning discussion on environmental protection policies in 2007 led by Yang Chaofei, director general of Policy and Regulation, PRC State Environmental Protection Administration. Stephen Green, senior economist, Standard Chartered Bank (China) Ltd. provided an update on China's Economy. Bob Poole, vice president, China Operations, USCBC, and Godfrey Firth, chief representative, Shanghai, USCBC, presented an update on bilateral trade relations and provided insight on the possible rising protectionism in China. The morning session continued with a panel discussion on mergers and acquisitions led by Tom Jones, partner, Allen & Overy LLP on new regulatory and legal challenges and Lawrence Chia, managing partner, Financial Advisory Services, Deloitte on pricing issues and other deal-breakers. Hu Shuli, editor-in-chief, Caijing Magazine, offered the luncheon address on the rising tide: China's changing media environment.

Andrew Browne, partner, Brunswick Group, LLP, former member of the Wall Street Journal's 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winning China team, began the afternoon session with a presentation on managing the Chinese media. A panel on environmental issues followed with presentations from Charles McElwee, of counsel, Squire Sanders & Dempsey, LLP, on environmental law and litigation in China; Scott Zhao, EHS Manager, Intel Corp., on China's restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS); and Xie Dong, EHS counsel, General Electric Co., on bringing global EHS standards to China. A panel on strategic implications featured Murray Covello, president-Asia, Praxair, Inc. on impact of rising costs on strategic planning; David Michael, managing partner, the Boston Consulting Group, on expanding distribution networks in China. The last panel discussed human resources issues led by Chris Watkins, managing partner, MRI Worldwide China Group, on attracting senior management talent and Anne Marie Moncure, President, United Family Hospitals and Clinics, Chindex International, Inc., on health and medical challenges. (May 24)

Washington: Dinner Honoring PRC Vice Premier Wu Yi
The USCBC, United States Chamber of Commerce, China General Chamber of Commerce, USA, and other organizations, jointly hosted a reception and dinner in honor of Vice Premier Wu Yi. She was accompanied to the dinner by 14 State Council ministers, 11 vice ministers, PRC Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, ranking PRC Embassy officials, and SED delegation members. Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, introduced US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. who greeted Wu on behalf of the US government. W. James McNerney, USCBC chair and The Boeing Company chairman, president, and CEO, welcomed Wu. After Wu delivered her address, McNerney, moderated a question-and-answer session. More than 900 members of the business, academic, and civic communities attended the dinner. Photos from the event are now posted on the USCBC website. (May 24)

Shanghai: The Impact of China's Changing Demographics on Business
Featured Zuo Xuejin, executive vice president, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS), and director, Institute of Economics, SASS; and Brian Murray, managing director, Asia-Pacific Research, American International Group, Inc. Zuo and Murray discussed the demographic shifts that China will undergo in coming years and their impacts on China's business environment. (May 28)

JUNE

Washington: 34th Annual Membership Meeting
This annual meeting featured expert presentations on China's economy, innovation drive, human resources trends and strategies, the effects of expansion for US companies in China, and bilateral commercial relations. Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, senior partner, Baker Botts, delivered the luncheon keynote address on the future of US-China relations. (June 5)

Seattle: Roundtable Discussions
USCBC President John Frisbie and Shanghai-based Chief Representative Godfrey Firth led discussions on latest developments in US-China trade politics in Washington, DC, and current operating challenges that US companies face in China and highlight recent business trends. (June 12)

San Francisco: Roundtable Discussions
USCBC President John Frisbie and Shanghai-based Chief Representative Godfrey Firth led discussions on latest developments in US-China trade politics in Washington, DC, and current operating challenges that US companies face in China and highlight recent business trends. (June 14)

Shanghai: Issues Luncheon
Safe Sourcing
Featured Andrew Polins, general manager, the Children's Place/Disney Store, North America, and Simon Chuang, International Purchasing Office manager, China Region, Tyco Electronics Corp. (June 15)

Washington: Remarks on US Dual-Use Export Controls and China
Featured US Department of Commerce Undersecretary for Industry and Security Mario Mancuso and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Export Administration Matthew Borman. (June 18)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Americans' Views of China
Michelle Van Gilder, director of Business Development and International Marketing at Zogby International, presented poll findings of 5,000 Americans on China and China trade. (June 21)

JULY

Washington: Issues Luncheon
US-China JCCT Outlook
Ira Kasoff deputy assistant secretary for Asia, US DOC, and Tim Stratford, assistant US trade representative for China, Office of the USTR discussed the latest developments in the preparations for the next meeting of the JCCT, expected to take place this fall prior to the next SED. (July 19)

Shanghai: Issues Luncheon
The Labor Contract Law
Featured Ma Jianjun, partner, Jun He Law Offices, and Susan Munro, counsel, O'Melveny & Myers LLP. (July 26)

Beijing: Reception with USCBC President John Frisbie
USCBC President John Frisbie and USCBC Vice President Bob Poole met with USCBC members to learn more about their views on policy and operating issues, as well as provide an update on the current political environment in Washington, DC, regarding China. (July 26)

Washington: Briefing
Featured Kenneth Jarrett, US consul general in Shanghai. (July 27)

Shanghai: Reception with USCBC President John Frisbie
USCBC President John Frisbie and USCBC Vice President Bob Poole met with USCBC members to learn more about their views on policy and operating issues, as well as provide an update on the current political environment in Washington, DC, regarding China. (July 30)

AUGUST

Hong Kong: Issues Luncheon
This event was co-hosted with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Hong Kong President Jack Maisano and AmCham business committee leaders and featured USCBC President John Frisbie. (Aug. 1)

Washington: Strategic Economic Dialogue, Round 3
A Discussion with Ambassador Alan Holmer
The US Department of the Treasury's Ambassador Alan Holmer, special envoy for China and the SED, and Dan Wright, managing director for China and the SED, briefed members on a recent trip to China where discussions were held with PRC counterparts in preparation for the third round of the SED, tentatively scheduled for December in Beijing. (Aug. 21)

Beijing: Government Affairs Workshop
Bob Poole, USCBC vice president, China Operations, opened this workshop with a discussion of USCBC views on government affairs. He was followed by Yuan Haiying, president, Yuan Associates, who provided insight on Working with quasi-governmental organizations in China and She Duanzhi, deputy chief representative, IBM Global Services (China), on integrating China and worldwide government affairs objectives. Patrick Horgan, China managing director, APCO Worldwide, and Huang Juhui, director of Government Affairs, Cargill Investments (China) Ltd., led a panel discussion on structuring government affairs in expanding companies. (Aug. 23)

SEPTEMBER

Chicago: Current Issues in US-China Trade
This event featured USCBC President John Frisbie and Beijing-based Vice President of China Operations Robert Poole on the US-China commercial relationship was co-sponsored by USCBC and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. (Sept. 5)

Beijing: Luncheon
James A. Baker III, former US secretary of State (1989-92), US Department of the Treasury (1985-88), and undersecretary of Commerce (1975), currently a senior partner at the law firm Baker Botts, LLP provided insights on US-China relations. Introductory remarks were provided by the honorable Clark T. Randt, Jr., US ambassador to the People's Republic of China. (Sept. 13)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
China and Consumer Products Safety
Nancy Nord, acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) briefed members about the CPSC's efforts to engage its Chinese counterparts on consumer product safety, including bilateral meetings which took place in September in Washington, DC, and ongoing discussions with the PRC General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine as part of the two agencies' 2004 memorandum of understanding. (Sept. 20)

Washington: Discussion
Chinese Foreign Investment in the United States:
Featuring PRC Assistant Minister of Commerce Chen Jian
The USCBC, in conjunction with the US Chamber of Commerce and Covington & Burling LLP held a discussion on foreign investment opportunities in the United States with PRC Assistant Minister of Commerce Chen Jian and a delegation of Chinese business entrepreneurs. (Sept. 24)

Washington: Michael Dell Luncheon
This luncheon which featured Michael Dell was presented in partnership with USCBC, the Center for Strategic & International Studies, US India Business Council, European-American Business Council, US-ASEAN Business Council, Inc., Inter-American Dialogue, and Northern Virginia Technology Council. (Sept. 26)

Beijing: Financial Services Luncheon
Featured the National Development and Reform Commission's Director General of Fiscal and Financial Affairs Xu Lin. (Sept. 27)

OCTOBER

Washington: Roundtable Discussion
Nathan Bush, Beijing-based associate at O'Melveny & Myers LLP, led discussions on China's 10th National People's Congress passed the final version of the Antimonopoly Law (AML) on August 30. (Oct. 2)

Beijing: Luncheon
The USCBC and AmCham-China held a luncheon with Deputy US Trade Representative (USTR) Karan Bhatia who offered remarks on the state of US-China trade relations in the run-up to December's Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) meetings. Acting Under Secretary for International Trade, US Department of Commerce, Christopher A. Padilla joined Ambassador Bhatia. (Oct. 10)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
Featured outgoing Deputy USTR Karan Bhatia and new staff members who have recently joined USTR's China office (Oct. 18)

NOVEMBER

Shanghai: China Operations Conference
The USCBC hosted its Shanghai China Operations Conference 2007 on November 2. Following welcoming remarks by Bob Poole, USCBC's vice president of China Operations, An Qinghu, director general of the PRC State Administration of Industry and Commerce's Trademark Office, delivered the keynote address on developments in trademark enforcement and regulation. Next, Qing Wang, chief economist-Greater China at Morgan Stanley, provided an update on China's economy. A panel discussion on views after the 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress featured Benjamin Lim, chief political correspondent, Greater China, Reuters; and W. John Hoffman, co-founder and principal, XRG-Exceptional Resources Group. Peter Scher, partner, Mayer Brown LLP, and former US special trade negotiator and chief of staff to Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), provided an update on US politics and China in the 2008 campaigns.

The luncheon presentation, "Foreign-Invested Enterprises (FIE) and Shanghai's Financial Services Reforms," was given by Fang Xinghai, deputy director of the Shanghai Financial Services Bureau and vice general manager of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. A panel on the changing regulatory environment for FIEs featured Simon Tan, partner, Research and Development Tax Services, Greater China, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA Ltd., who discussed China's new tax regime; John Leary, partner, White & Case LLP, who spoke on mergers and acquisitions and the PRC Antimonopoly Law; and Liang Yanling, partner, King and Wood LLP, who discussed preventing and responding to labor disputes. Next, Michael Robert Nelson, director and head, China, Network Relationships, Global Commercial Bank, Citigroup, spoke on new banking and finance capabilities for PRC multinational corporations. Damon Paling, director, Customs and Trade, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, delivered comments on managing customs and the new value-added tax rebate regime. A panel "Improving Operational Efficiency: Shared Services and Business Process Outsourcing" featured Stephen Chen, site manager, HP (Dalian) Global Delivery Operations Center, Hewlett Packard Co., who discussed implementing global shared services in China; Charlie Liu, president, China, VXI Inc., who spoke on outsourcing options in China; and Bill Heidke, staffing executive, IBM China Global Delivery Center, who discussed staff management in a high turnover market. (Nov. 2)

Beijing: Strategic Economic Dialogue Breakfast with Ambassador Alan F. Holmer
Holmer, the US Treasury's Special Envoy for China and the SED, met with the US business community in Beijing to discuss the December SED. Cosponsored by USCBC and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)-China. (Nov. 14)

Washington: Issues Luncheon
US Department of Commerce Acting Under Secretary for International Trade Padilla shared his thoughts prior to the December 2007 Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) meetings in Beijing. (Nov. 15)

Shanghai: Strategic Economic Dialogue Breakfast with Ambassador Alan F. Holmer
Holmer met with the US business community in Shanghai to discuss the December SED. Cosponsored by USCBC and AmCham-Shanghai. (Nov. 15)

DECEMBER

Washington: Resolving Commercial Disputes with Chinese Parties
The program presented panels on the latest trends in resolving commercial, investment, and trade disputes with PRC government parties and private enterprises through international arbitration and World Trade Organization mechanisms. Yu Jianlong, secretary general of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, provided the luncheon keynote address. Cosponsored by the District of Columbia Bar, the USCBC, and other organizations. (Dec. 4)

Washington: Gala 2007
Attended by nearly 500 leaders from the business, government, diplomatic, and think-tank communities, the US-China Business Council (USCBC) held its Gala 2007 at the Ritz-Carlton Washington on December 5. After a welcome and introduction by USCBC President John Frisbie, USCBC Chair and Chairman, President, and CEO of the Boeing Co. W. James McNerney, Jr. introduced US Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson, Jr., who was honored for his leadership of the Strategic Economic Dialogue. Following Paulson's address, USCBC Vice Chair and Chairman and CEO of the Dow Chemical Co. Andrew Liveris, introduced Representatives Mark Kirk (R-10th IL) and Rick Larsen (D-2nd WA). USCBC recognized the US-China Working Group and its co-chairs, Kirk and Larsen (D-2nd WA), for their role in promoting a balanced approach to China issues in Congress; Kirk and Larsen delivered remarks. Thanks to the enthusiastic and generous response from many member companies, the Gala was filled to capacity. (Dec. 5)

Beijing: JCCT & SED Reception
USCBC held a reception attended by nearly 140 people including senior representatives of the US government visiting Beijing to participate in the JCCT and the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), the highest level meetings between the US and PRC governments, on December 10. Principals and deputies from the Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce (including Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez), the Office of the US Trade Representative (including USTR Susan C. Schwab), Department of Agriculture, and the US Embassy (including Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.) attended the reception. This was an excellent opportunity for USCBC member company executives to meet informally and raise their concerns with senior US officials directly involved in these high-level discussions. (Dec. 10)

Washington: IPR Update
The roundtable luncheon featured Cohen, IPR attache at the US Embassy in Beiing. (Dec. 12)

Shanghai: New Developments in US Companies' IP Protection Efforts in China
The luncheon featured Brian Williams, senior regional manager (North Asia), Anti-Counterfeiting and Internet Safety, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Corp.; Gabriela Kennedy, Intellectual Property, Media, and Technology (IPMT) partner, Lovells LLP; and Christine Yiu, IPMT associate, Lovells. (Dec. 13)

Washington: Issues Luncheon on EU-China Trade
Featured Nikolaos Zaimis, counselor for Trade and Agriculture, Delegation of the European Commission to the United States. (Dec.13)