Gala 2024
USCBC Board Works to Further Open China’s Market
Top corporate executives traveled to Beijing to discuss the US-China commercial relationship with Chinese state and business leaders
BEIJING—August 22, 2023—As the US-China Business Council (USCBC) celebrates its 50th anniversary, USCBC’s board of directors traveled to Beijing this week for meetings with top Chinese officials, including Premier Li Qiang, to discuss the importance of healthy, balanced commercial relations between the two countries. This was the board’s first trip to China since 2019.
“Over the past fifty years, the business community has played a vital stabilizing role for US-China relations, and US businesses remain dedicated to promoting constructive engagement between our countries,” said Marc Casper, USCBC Chair and Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “There are many opportunities for us to work together to make a positive impact on global challenges, like addressing climate change, improving public health, and raising living standards. These are all issues where the US and China have shared concerns, and the business community plays a key role in driving innovation to find solutions.”
In addition to meeting with Premier Li Qiang, USCBC’s board delegation met with former Vice Premier Liu He and Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua, as well as leaders from China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The group also concluded the fifth US-China CEO Dialogue together with the China Chamber of International Commerce and China Council for Promotion of International Trade.
“These exchanges lead to better understanding, stronger relationships, and increased prosperity for US and Chinese people,” said Craig Allen, USCBC President. “One of the major points we continue to emphasize is that American companies need greater transparency and predictability in China to better plan, invest, and grow this mutually beneficial relationship, which also provides greater global stability.”
Allen added that the American business community hopes President Xi and President Biden will meet at the November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in San Francisco and that both leaders prioritize commercial exchange between the two countries to stabilize the bilateral relationship.
The three-day trip culminated with a gala event in Beijing to celebrate USCBC’s 50th anniversary. Casper, Allen, and USCBC Vice Chair Rajesh Subramaniam, President and Chief Executive Officer of FedEx Corporation, spoke at the event. Gala remarks from each can be found on USCBC’s website.
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