Government Affairs Roundtable with USCBC Senior Vice President, Erin Ennis, and Matthew West, Partner, Baker Botts
The US-China Business Council hosted a Government Affairs Roundtable to discuss Section 301 tariffs and updates to investment restrictions. This event was led by USCBC Senior Vice President Erin Ennis, and included a discussion on FIRRMA/investment restrictions with Matthew West, Partner, Baker Botts.
BakerMcKenzie 2018 Asia Pacific Healthcare Summit
R&D challenges, pricing and reimbursement pressures, integration of health systems, technological disruptions as well as demands for patient-centric care models require healthcare companies to innovate and transform their business models. These transformations can unlock new business opportunities and help healthcare companies gain competitive advantages. However, they also give rise to legal and regulatory considerations.
This interactive forum provided the opportunity to hear about the most significant healthcare concerns to the industry. These included cybersecurity risks due to digitalization. The conference also analyzed how innovation is driving the transformation of business and operating models, as well as the delivery of products and patient care.
A panel of industry experts and healthcare practitioners from Baker McKenzie shared insights and commercial solutions that can help navigate the growing complexities.
USCBC 45th Annual Membership Meeting
Tariffs and trade deals are still uncertain, but China’s government restructuring is likely to be the most significant long-term outcome this year, said speakers at USCBC’s 45th Annual Membership Meeting June 5. Members from a wide range of companies joined USCBC staff and guest speakers to discuss changes in the Chinese business environment and the US-China relationship at this important time for trade.
Keynote speaker Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and President of Asia Society, outlined high-level priorities for the United States in the world and its relationship with Asia, setting the tone for the importance of the US-China relationship at this pivotal moment. José Viñals, Group Chairman of Standard Chartered, discussed the unique aspects of the financial sector in business with China, and gave members his perspective on the Belt and Road and the role that global financing can play.
The meeting’s morning panel covered domestic politics, with an explanation of the key changes resulting from China’s government reshuffle this year and the expanded authority of President Xi from Clemson University’s Dr. Xiaobo Hu and Jude Blanchette of Crumpton Group. Owen Haacke, head of USCBC’s Shanghai office, updated members on the operating environment in China from an on-the-ground perspective, with Bliss Khaw from Control Risks advising members on key business issues they may face and best practices to deal with them.
The afternoon wrapped up with a panel of government speakers, with members hearing from Greg Walters, Assistant US Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, and Jason Hafemeister, Trade Policy Coordinator at the US Department of Agriculture. The two covered the Section 301 investigation and updates on tariffs as well as Commerce Secretary Ross’ recent China trip and agriculture and energy deals discussed there.
USCBC members may access reports and speaker presentations here.
Dealing with Employees Who Turn Bad - Conflicts of Interest, Embezzlement, Kick-backs
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) was pleased to hold a breakfast briefing on Thursday, May 31 with USCBC member Faegre Baker Daniels’ Partner Kevin L. Jones who spoke about dealing with situations arising from serious employee misconduct. Mr. Jones has worked closely with companies to address situations where employees set up competing businesses, embezzle money, contravene China’s anti-bribery laws or otherwise create serious challenges to a company’s ongoing operations. He talked about the challenges for employers to get the right evidence and successfully negotiate employees out of an organization.
Kevin Jones has been based in Greater China for more than 20 years and leads the firm’s labor and employment practice in China. Kevin and his team of dedicated employment lawyers advise clients on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment matters. He has a particular focus on staffing issues arising from acquisitions and other re-organisations, strategic employment counseling, resolving labor disputes, advising on anti-corruption compliance, investigating employees for misconduct or FCPA/anti-bribery violations, employee hiring and termination, immigration, mass layoffs and labor unrest, establishment and enforcement of company polices, advising on labor union issues, and drafting and negotiating collective contracts.
Briefing with US Consul General Sean Stein
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) was pleased to host an off-the-record briefing on the US-China relationship with U.S. Consul General Sean Stein. He provided an overview of recent US-China government engagement on trade and economic issues, discussed priorities for the US government, and offered views on how recent bilateral discussions could impact the US business community in Shanghai.
Sean Stein is the Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai. He previously served as Consul General in Shenyang, China. In that role he worked with U.S. states to foster over $1 billion in Chinese investment in the United States – a record at the time – and introduced dozens of U.S. firms to the Chinese market. He also developed a program that became the model for the U.S.-China Tourism Year, a Presidential initiative to attract Chinese tourists to the United States. Mr. Stein was the first Deputy Chief of Mission in East Timor and served tours in Medan, Lagos, Jakarta, and Chengdu.
2018 Annual China Employment Law Seminar
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) and Baker McKenzie FenXun held the Annual China Employment Law Seminar in Beijing on April 25, 2018.
The event included the most important HR issues facing companies in China today. This included updates on major changes in Chinese employment law and panel discussions on how to stock option disputes or sexual harassment complaints. The event also included case law updates on how the courts in practice handle various challenging issues in the employment law realm.
The Employment Law Seminar featured a prominent labor judge just recently resigned from the Beijing Chaoyang District People’s Court, who provided her own thoughts on major difficult issues that employers frequently come across in HR management, along with her advice on how to resolve these issues practically.
U.S. Industry Breakfast with Secretary Elaine L. Chao
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) and AmCham China are pleased to host US Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao while she is in Beijing for the ninth annual U.S.-China Transportation Forum from April 24th to April 26th, 2018. The U.S.-China Transportation Forum serves as a high-level bilateral government-to-government dialogue intended to develop solutions to common multimodal transportation challenges.
USCBC and AmCham hosted two separate events with Secretary Chao. On April 24th, Secretary Chao participated in a policy dialogue, which was an opportunity to hear from government and business experts about key regulatory and industry developments related to transportation. For more information about the dialogue, please click here.
On April 25, USCBC and AmCham hosted an industry breakfast with Secretary Chao. The breakfast was an opportunity to raise key concerns and hear from Secretary Chao about developments in Washington.
45th Anniversary DC Open House
The US-China Business Council hosted an open house on Tuesday, April 24, at their DC office in honor of their 45th Anniversary. Founded on April 24, 1973, USCBC was originally created by a group of American companies to act as a bridge to better navigate a cautiously opening Chinese economy. To see the full announcement by USCBC President John Frisbie, please click here.
Many thanks to all of our members who came to celebrate! Pictures from the event can be found here.
Policy Dialogue with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao
The US-China Business Council (USCBC) and AmCham China were pleased to host US Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao while she was in Beijing for the ninth annual U.S.-China Transportation Forum from April 24th to April 26th, 2018. The U.S.-China Transportation Forum serves as a high-level bilateral government-to-government dialogue intended to develop solutions to common multimodal transportation challenges.
USCBC and AmCham hosted two separate events with Secretary Chao. On April 24th, Secretary Chao participated in a policy dialogue, which was an opportunity to hear from government and business experts about key regulatory and industry developments related to transportation.
On April 25, USCBC and AmCham hosted an industry breakfast with Secretary Chao. The breakfast was an opportunity to raise key concerns and to hear from Secretary Chao about developments in Washington. More information on the breakfast can be found here.
America First and the China Dream: Navigating an Era of Rising Nationalism
With rising nationalist sentiment in both the US and China, companies are looking at possible implications for their business in China. Rising nationalism and trade tensions could expose U.S.-headquartered multinationals to brand and reputational scrutiny and have the potential to impact business in China. How should businesses navigate these dynamics? To what extent should companies be preparing? And how should MNCs be engaging governments — and other stakeholders — in the U.S. and China?
The US-China Business Council held a lunch briefing with Mr. James W. Robinson, managing director of APCO Worldwide's Shanghai office, who discussed how companies should be considering their positions against a backdrop of rising nationalism both in the US and China.