Research & Analysis

On Tuesday, the House formally established the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party in one of the first votes of the new Congress. The majority of Democrats joined the entire Republican House caucus in voting for the measure. During floor debate for the resolution, newly elected Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) promised the committee would take an approach that focuses on shared bipartisan challenges related to China.

More than three years after the first COVID-19 case was reported, China has finally made a decisive u-turn, veering away from the zero-COVID regime and toward co-existing with the virus. On December 7, 2022, the National Health Commission (NHC) released 10 measures that effectively dismantled its stringent requirements.

Last month, to the surprise and joy of many, China announced a major shift in its COVID-19 strategy, from prevention and control to treatment and openness. China relaxed a slew of restrictions, making it easier to travel to and within China.

Skepticism and competition defined the US-China relationship for much of 2022, and these themes are expected to continue this year. With the tech competition intensifying and a renewed focus on China in the US Congress, this year will likely bring more uncertainty and continued challenges for multinational companies.

From all our staff at USCBC, we thank you for your membership and the confidence you place in our services to you. As we begin our 50th anniversary year, I would like to highlight some of the accomplishments made together with you in 2022 and share some observations on the year ahead.

This edition of the industrial policy and standards industry updates focuses on central and local policies that have been issued in the weeks around the 20th Party Congress and the Central Economic Work Conference. Both events emphasized that high quality development and consumption driven growth are core priorities for China’s overall economic health.

On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke over the phone with newly appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang at the end of his ambassadorship to the United States. According to the embassy readout, the conversation recalled “in-depth and constructive” meetings between the two during Qin’s tenure, noting that Qin hopes to continue working closely with Blinken in his new role.

If you work around hazardous chemicals, there are badges that you’ll want to wear because they will save your life. The very smart badges are made by Morphix Technologies, a small company in Virginia Beach, VA, and they have big sales in China, Europe, and elsewhere.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released a notice regarding platforms that collect internet product security vulnerabilities. The notice requires all such platforms to file a range of details with MIIT, including the web page URL, Chinese Internet Content Provider License, name and contact information of the sponsor, scope of vulnerability collection, rules for public release of this information, etc.

From December 15 to December 16, senior Chinese leaders convened for the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC) to discuss key economic goals for the year ahead. At this year’s conference, implementing a new development pattern emerged as a key theme—signaling a focus on revitalizing economic growth.