Seeking a Path Forward for US-China Trade and Investment

The Atlantic Council’s Asia Program co-hosted the event “Seeking a Path Forward for US-China Trade and Investment” with the American Chamber of Commerce in China on May 4.

This inaugural AmCham-China-Atlantic Council conference mixed on-the-ground China business expertise with Washington policy expertise and addressed the changing landscape of U.S.-China economic and commercial relations. The conference provided an opportunity for the Washington China community to hear directly from business leaders who are working in China and have firsthand experience in the Chinese market. 

Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe and AmCham-China Chairman John Watkins provided the opening remarks. James McGregor, AmCham-China US Government Relations Committee Chairman, Senior Counselor APCO Worldwide and former Dow Jones China CEO, moderated the conference.

The first panel discussed the Chinese policy of “Indigenous Innovation” and the emerging web of Chinese industrial policies that are aimed at using the power of the Chinese market to develop Chinese “national champion” companies. Panelists Mark Cohen, Chairman of AmCham IP Forum /Legal Affairs Committee and Director, International Intellectual Property Microsoft, Ted Dean, Vice-Chairman AmCham China, President BDA China, and Grant Aldonas, Principal Managing Director at Split Rock International, Inc., Senior Advisor at Center for Strategic and International Studies, presented their own views towards a various issues of doing business in China.

The second panel discussion featured Christian Murck, President AmCham-China, David Wang, Vice-Chairman AmCham-China, President of Boeing-China and Vice President of International Relations of The Boeing Company, Jennifer Thompson, AmCham China committee chair, Senior Director Asia Business Development and Government Relations Oshkosh Corporation, and Jereme Waterman, Senior Director for Greater China, United States Chamber of Commerce, discussed the potential policy solutions and strategies for avoiding a US-China collision over trade issues.

Download AmCham-China’s 2010 White Paper on American Business in China (pdf)

Download event agenda (pdf)

More on Am-Cham China’s Delegation:

Mark Cohen:

Mark Cohen has worked in intellectual property and Chinese law for more than 25 years. He served with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing for seven years. Mark has written and published extensively on Chinese intellectual property law, comparative law, and legal developments in countries undergoing economic transition. He was editor of Chinese Intellectual Property Law and Practice, co-editor of a book on China’s legal development, and author of several articles on technology transfer to China. From 1993 to 1995, Mark served as a visiting Fulbright professor in the Republic of Slovenia. He was the first lawyer to represent independent Slovenia before a U.S. government agency.

Ted Dean:

Ted Dean is President & Managing Director and a principal at BDA. Ted is a Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce China and chairs the chamber’s IT & Telecom Forum. Ted is also a co-founder of Americans Promoting Study Abroad, a Washington, DC based non-profit that has brought public high school students from the US to Beijing to study Chinese and explore international careers since 2008. Ted is a frequent speaker at industry events and regularly comments on industry developments for media outlets including Business Week, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

James McGregor:

James McGregor is a senior counselor for APCO Worldwide in China, author of the bestselling book One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China and a veteran reporter for The Wall Street Journal. He is currently chairman of the U.S. Government Relations Committee for AmCham. He is also a Global Council member of the Asia Society, a board member on the U.S.-China Education Trust, a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and a governor of the Capital Club in Beijing.

Christian Murck:

Christian Murck joined AmCham-China in April 2010 as President. He is also the independent director of J.P. Morgan Chase (China) Ltd and has been the Board of Director of Shanghai Bank. From 2001 to 2010 March, Chris served as Vice Chairman-Asia, Chief Executive Officer-Asia and Managing Director of Greater China for APCO Worldwide. On 2002 Chris was elected Chairman of AmCham-China for two years. Before joining APCO, he was the Managing Director and Senior Country Officer of The Chase Manhattan Bank for 5 years.

Jennifer Thompson:

Jennifer Thompson, Senior Director, Asia Business Development and Government Relations, leads strategic growth and marketing initiatives for Oshkosh Corporation in Asia. Jennifer is active in the American Chamber of Commerce China. She is also Chairman of the Election Committee and Co-Chairs a forum to promote the involvement of US companies in the growth of the Chinese Civil Aviation sector. Jennifer served as Director, International Planning and Policy at Oshkosh Corporation.

David Wang:

David Wang was named vice president of The Boeing Company and president of Boeing China in November 2002. Currently Wang also serves as the co-chairman of the US-China Aviation Cooperation Program and the Export Compliance Working Group at the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing. He also serves on the Board of Directors of two publicly listed companies in the US. Prior to joining Boeing, Wang served as chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric (GE) China from 1997 to 2001.