CHINAMacroReporter

AmCham China Chairmen's View From China in D.C. 2017

[AmCham China & CHINADebate U.S.—China Trade/Business Series 2017] Terrific insights from leaders on the ground in China. While in D.C. the Chairmen joined us in a panel discussion and individual interviews about U.S. business in China, U.S.-China relations, trade, and much more. We present their views in a 13 part series. Sheryl WuDunn, business executive, lecturer, best-selling author, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize moderated.
by

AmCham China’s Chairman, Board of Governors & Chairman’s Circle members

|

CHINADebate

February 2, 2017
AmCham China Chairmen's View From China in D.C. 2017

AmCham China & CHINADebate U.S.—China Trade/Business Series 2017

In February 2017, the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, along with several past Chairmen, came to Washington, D.C. for the annual Congressional 'Door Knock.' The presidents joined us while on their annual Washington 'Door Knock' visit for meetings with members of Congress and other government leaders. Terrific insights from leaders on the ground in China. While in D.C. the Chairmen joined us in a panel discussion and individual interviews about U.S. business in China, U.S.-China relations, trade, and much more. We present their views in a 13 part series. Sheryl WuDunn, business executive, lecturer, best-selling author, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize moderated.

Moderated & Interviewed by Sheryl WuDunn

Sheryl WuDunn is a business executive, lecturer, best-selling author, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize moderated.

‍

1. Meet the AmCham China Chairmen

‍

2. 'U.S. companies feel less welcome in China.'

‍

3. 'On trade, reciprocity should rule.'

‍

4. China must have innovation for its economy to grow

‍

5. Open China’s Markets to U.S. Business

‍

6. ‘Is Jack Ma right, will e-commerce create U.S. jobs?’

  • [Q&A] Dennis Wilder, Georgetown University, Assistant Professor of Practice & Senior Fellow at the Initiative for US-China Dialogue on Global Issues

‍

7. ‘Has China decided Foreign Direct Investment isn't so important for them?’

  • [Q&A] Pieter Bottelier, Visiting Scholar, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University (SAIS)

‍

8. ‘How do we solve the problems between the U.S. and China?’

  • [Q&A] Christine Vick, The Cohen Group

‍

9. What's the most pressing challenge now? 

  • [Interview] Bill Zarit, Chairman of AmCham China, Senior Counselor, The Cohen Group

‍

10. 'China's Got To Realize The Gig's Up' 

  • [Interview] James McGregor, Chairman, APCO Worldwide Greater China region | former Chairman of AmCham China (1996)

James McGregor is being interviewed by Sheryl WuDunn—executive, best-selling author, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The interview took place after a CHINADebate event at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., where Sheryl moderated a panel consisting of the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China and several of the past presidents, including Jim McGregor.

Jim McGregor is not only a long-time China business leader, he is also one of the pre-eminent China experts.

Candidate Trump was tough on China. President Trump, well, it's not clear. After his meeting with President Xi, he seemed to soften his stance in hopes of getting China's help with the North Korea nuclear program. Recently, however, he tweeted: 'While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!' Will the President now revert to form? Stay tuned.

For Jim McGregor's part, he counsels rebalancing the U.S.-China relationship...

One of the problems in the U.S. is we're always worried about the relationship. Let's make China worry about the relationship for a while. China's got to realize the gig's up, that they had a really good run, and that now it's going to be reciprocity. It's going to be fairness. If they want to do business with America and Americans, then they've got to open their markets the way we have.

If this sounds Candidate Trumpian, I should say that long before Mr. Trump came down the escalator to announce his candidacy, many long-time China folks believed that China was gaming the system and taking advantage of not only of the U.S. but also the rest of the developed world. And, that tough changes are long overdue. Amen to Jim McGregor.

So, while I agree with Jim's assessment, I also agree with his warning... 

If we don't go in there with smart policies, then there's going to be hell to pay because China is very smart and strategic, and they know what they want.
It's a complicated intertwined world of global supply chains, and we have to be very strategic and smart in the way we handle this.
So far, stirring things up is good, but, boy, we've thrown everything up in the air. If we don't bring it back down in a smart fashion, this could lead to a tit for tat trade war that neither one needs, wants, or could afford.

What we've seen so far from the Trump administration does not give a lot of confidence. Not long ago, I said to a conference in Hong Kong, 'My get tough with China agenda is finally on the table, and it looks as if the administration charged with implementing it may be filled with bunglers.' I am certainly hoping to be convinced otherwise.

11. 'Re-look WTO agreements with China.'

  • [Interview] Dennis Wilder, Georgetown University, Assistant Professor of Practice & Senior Fellow at the Initiative for US-China Dialogue on Global Issues

‍

12. ‘Biosciences, healthcare, consumer, all opportunities.’ 

  • [Interview] John Watkins, Former Chairman of AmCham China (2009 – 2010) and senior business executive] 

‍

13. 'China: explain why markets not open.'

  • [Interview] Lester Ross, Wilmer Hale, Partner-in-Charge, Beijing Office

More

CHINAMacroReporter
October 31, 2022
Xi's China: 'less reliable, less predictable, and less efficient'
‘China’s predictability is being eroded by the frequent, erratic policy shifts that have taken place in recent months, such as the unexpected disruptions to power supplies that took place in 2021, and the sudden mass lockdowns that were imposed in an attempt to contain COVID.'
keep reading
October 18, 2022
Xi Jinping: ‘Crossing a threshold to outright dictatorship?’'
The view from inside China appears to be quite different. Yes, the Chinese people may grumble about the Zero-COVID lockdowns, and just a few days a banner critical of Mr. Xi and his regime was unveiled over an overpass in Beijing.
keep reading
October 10, 2022
The 20th Party Congress with All Eyes are on Xi Jinping
The attention to Mr. Xi is in large part because he will exit the Party Congress with even greater power, no discernible opposition, and a new five-year term (with more likely to follow). And many of the constraints that may have been in place not to jeopardize his reappointment will be gone.
keep reading
April 1, 2017
The geopolitical risks facing investors are the most acute in decades
keep reading
March 9, 2017
So many twists and turns to the China Housing markets story
[CHINADebate Presentation] One of the highlights in our recent 'In Pursuit of Patterns' series of client notes, showed that the land sales growth had tended to lead the price growth and a significant increase in land sales would lead, with a lag, to the subsequent correction in prices.—Almost everyone on the outside seems to have missed the biggest bull market in China housing in 2016, culminating in policy tightening cycle kicking in at the end of the year. But what's next?
keep reading
February 27, 2017
Is The U.S. Ceding Global Leadership To China?
'China isn't positioned to replace the U.S. as a global leader anytime soon.'—Hard on President Trump's 'American First' inaugural address, Xi Jinping gave a rousing paean to globalism at the World Economic Forum. And, immediately the hot question became: 'Is the U.S. ceding global leadership to China?' Yes and no, says Bill Overholt of the Harvard Asia Center. Yes, the U.S. is ceding global leadership. No, China won’t replace the U.S. What will replace the U.S. is ‘G-Zero’, a world with no single global leader. Not China, not the U.S. So, can his critics lay this outcome at President Trump’s feet?
keep reading
February 15, 2017
C-to-C Internet Commerce- From Taobao Shops to Taobao Villages
One is some of the local government-owned SOEs are the sources for overcapacity. The reason is because the local government also wants to ensure there's some degree of employment locally, and perhaps some source of taxation. The Chinese government is now going to need to start the so-called supply-side economics to try to consolidate overcapacity in a number of sectors. It's going to impinge on the interests of many of these local SOEs as well as the local governments who own them.
keep reading
February 15, 2017
How SOEs & Local Governments Create Overcapacity
One is some of the local government-owned SOEs are the sources for overcapacity. The reason is because the local government also wants to ensure there's some degree of employment locally, and perhaps some source of taxation. The Chinese government is now going to need to start the so-called supply-side economics to try to consolidate overcapacity in a number of sectors. It's going to impinge on the interests of many of these local SOEs as well as the local governments who own them.
keep reading
February 15, 2017
Why SOE Reform is So Tough
'...SOEs need to reform, because on one hand, many of them have achieved a lot for China. On the other hand, they've actually created quite a lot of harm, in particular in the areas of overcapacity but also in the areas of corruption we've talked about.'
keep reading
February 2, 2017
AmCham China Chairmen's View From China in D.C. 2017
[AmCham China & CHINADebate U.S.—China Trade/Business Series 2017] Terrific insights from leaders on the ground in China. While in D.C. the Chairmen joined us in a panel discussion and individual interviews about U.S. business in China, U.S.-China relations, trade, and much more. We present their views in a 13 part series. Sheryl WuDunn, business executive, lecturer, best-selling author, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize moderated.
keep reading
February 1, 2017
Trump, Trade, & China
keep reading
February 1, 2017
'Chinese Politics In The Xi Jinping Era'
[Malcolm Riddell Interviewed Cheng Li] 'If you ask any taxi driver in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, he or she will tell you – with accuracy – which leader belongs to which faction. : 'China is a one–party state, but that does not necessarily mean Chinese leadership is a monolithic group with leaders who have the same ideas, same background, same world views, same politics. No, they're divided.'
keep reading
December 7, 2016
First 100 Days: Do Not Provoke China
The First 100 Days interview series features Pacific Council experts addressing the top foreign policy issues facing the incoming Trump administration.: Warns of the potential for new conflicts if Donald Trump follows through with his campaign promises regarding China.
keep reading
October 18, 2016
How Alibaba, Xiaomi, & Tencent are Changing the Rules of Business
[An Interview of Ed Tse, the author of 'China's Disruptors: Alibaba, Xiaomi, & Tencent... how innovative 'Disruptor' companies are restructuring China's economy.' ] The real force in Chinese economy is increasingly private companies, not SOEs. / Leading private Chinese companies are innovative and ambitious
keep reading
July 14, 2016
How 'Brexit' Will Impact China's Economy
David Dollar gives you fresh insights to better incorporate Brexit's impact into your analyses of China and global economies & markets, including: 1. Why, after the Brexit vote, did the Shanghai Stock Market fall only 1%? 2. How will Brexit affect the value of the RMB and China's currency policy? 3. How will Brexit impact trade with the EU, China’s largest trading partner? 4. Why, in the larger geopolitical perspective, could China be the big winner from Brexit?
keep reading
July 2, 2016
China housing: boom, bust, or bubble-or...?
100s of Cities Bubble Up & Down As Policy Makers Press the Levers China hasn’t collapsed. And, the bubble hasn’t burst because there may not be just one big real estate bubble. Instead, there are 100s of sizable cities, each moving in its own cycle, each responding to how its local policymakers stimulate & tighten-stimulate & tighten, and each having performance divergent from that of other cities. Watch here to see how city-level markets bubble up and bubble down...
keep reading

Free Newsletter Signup

Published by CHINADebate
Bringing you the world's best thinking on China

Heading

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.