Chambers Conversation: An Update on US-China Commercial Relations

Event Details

Despite 4.5 years into the trade war and efforts to decouple their economies, US-China trade in goods reached a new record in 2022. In addition, US trade deficit with China hit US$ 382.9 billion, showing strong American consumers' demand for Chinese products.

How will US-China trade relations fare in 2023? How does US domestic politics affect the bilateral relationship? Please join this chambers breakfast conversation where heads of AmChams from China and Shanghai will provide the latest pulse of Washington's sentiment toward China and implications for US-China commercial relations.

Remarks:

This event is closed to the media and held under Chatham House rules
Light breakfast will be provided
Members exclusive

Agenda

March 17, 2023

Main Schedule

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Self Service Breakfast & Networking

8:30 AM - 8:35 AM

Welcome Remarks

8:35 AM - 8:50 AM

Panel Discussion

Michael Hart (President at AmCham China)

Timothy Stratford (Chairman Emeritus at AmCham China)

Sean Stein (Chairman at AmCham Shanghai)

Eden Woon (President at AmCham Hong Kong)

8:50 AM - 9:25 AM

Audience Q&A

9:25 AM - 9:30 AM

Close of Event

Speakers

Michael Hart

President at AmCham China

Sean Stein

Chairman at AmCham Shanghai

Timothy Stratford

Chairman Emeritus at AmCham China

Eden Woon

President at AmCham Hong Kong

Michael Hart is President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China based in Beijing. He has over twenty-five years of business experience in Asia, including nineteen years in mainland China.
As President, Michael oversees all advocacy, programs, partnerships, and insights provided by the Chamber to support the business growth of nearly 900 foreign corporations operating in China, including most of the U.S. Fortune 500. The chamber’s advocacy includes the impressive American Business in China White Paper and Business Climate Survey each published annually as well as numerous interactions with both the US and Chinese governments on behalf of our members.
Prior to joining AmCham China, Michael spent most of his career in commercial real estate in Taipei, Shanghai and Tianjin including almost 20 years for a NYSE listed property services firm. He started in the research division briefing real estate owners, occupiers and investors on transactions and macro trends, he then opened, built, and led a branch office for the company in one of China’s largest Tier 1.5 cities for over a decade. Following this, Michael opened a private consulting and investment firm that among other projects invested in quick service restaurants.
In addition to this work, Michael was a long-term AmCham member and served on the Tianjin chapter’s Executive Committee for nearly 15 years including several terms as the local Chairman.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on finance and banking from the University of Missouri-Columbia in the U.S. He is a fluent speaker of mandarin Chinese. Michael was born and raised near Kansas City, Missouri.

Sean Stein is a senior advisor in Covington’s Public Policy Practice Group. Prior to joining Covington, Sean served as the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai. He has over twenty years of diplomatic experience in Asia and has served in leadership positions in China, Washington, and the region. His insights informed policy making at the highest levels in Washington and he assisted dozens of U.S., Chinese, and international firms to develop strategies, manage risk, and identify opportunities for growth in response to the changing U.S.-China relationship. Sean also serves as the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

Sean, a non-lawyer, is a key resource to businesses on issues related to political risk, public affairs, problem solving, and communications. He regularly assists companies facing acute or long-term issues to resolve them, often through discussions with U.S. and Chinese government officials. He is well placed to provide strategic advice to U.S. and international clients on issues relating to securing market access and protecting investments in China, assessing risk, navigating trade controls, sanctions, and supply chain restrictions, and resolving disputes and regulatory investigations.

Sean is available to brief clients on developments in within China and China’s relations with other countries and regions.

Tim Stratford is senior counsel in Covington & Burling LLP’s Beijing office and a member of the International Trade, Corporate and Public Policy Practice Groups. He is also presently serving as Chairman Emeritus of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. Tim’s practice is focused on advising international clients doing business in China and assisting Chinese companies seeking to expand their businesses globally. As a former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Tim is the most senior former U.S. trade official working as a member of the U.S. business community in Beijing. Except for the five years he spent in Washington, DC in government service (2005-2010), Tim has lived and worked continuously in the greater China region since 1982.

While at USTR, Tim was responsible for developing and implementing U.S. trade policy toward mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Mongolia. He worked closely with other senior U.S. and Chinese officials from numerous government departments and agencies to address problems encountered by companies engaged in bilateral trade and investment and co-chaired a number of important bilateral working groups and dialogues established under the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade and the U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue.

Prior to serving at USTR, Tim was General Counsel for General Motors’ China operations, where he was a member of GM’s senior management team in China and oversaw the company’s legal and trade policy work. Tim also served previously as Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and as Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Brigham Young University, and is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.

(Moderator)

Dr. Eden Woon is the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, effective from September 1, 2022.

Dr. Woon is an experienced business and academic leader who has also served many years in government and NGOs, and is no stranger to the business community in the Greater China region and beyond, having spent his career in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Thailand, and USA.

Prior to joining AmCham HK, from 2018 to 2022, Dr. Woon was the President of Asian Institute of Technology, an international graduate engineering institute in Bangkok which focuses on sustainability. In 2017-2018, he was the Vice Chairman of Alba Group Asia, an environmental engineering company headquartered in Berlin. From 2010 until November 2017, Dr. Woon was
the Vice-President for Institutional Advancement of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. From 2006 to 2010, Dr. Woon was based in Shanghai, being the Managing Director of Li & Fung Group's China Corporate Office and Managing Director of Toys ”R” Us China. He has also been a Vice-President of Starbucks Coffee Company in China. In 1997-2006, Dr. Woon was the CEO of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Woon was the Executive Director of the Seattle-based Washington State China Relations Council from 1994 to 1997. Dr. Woon served in the US Air Force until 1993 when he retired as a Colonel. He once acted as China policy advisor to the US Secretary of Defense and had a stint in Beijing. He also taught Mathematics at the US Air Force Academy for six years, reaching the title of Associate Professor.

Dr. Woon spent his childhood in Hong Kong and received his BA degree from the University of Iowa and his MA, MS, and PhD degrees, all in Mathematics, from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is also a graduate of the National War College in Washington, DC.

A U.S. citizen and fluent speaker of both Mandarin and Cantonese, Dr. Woon serves as Special Advisor to the Shaw Foundation of Hong Kong, as a Board member of the Hong Kong Ballet, and he is a Justice of Peace of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

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Member PriceHKD 280

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be provided in writing to: amchamevent@amcham.org.hk at least seven working days prior to in-house events.
Registrations for events held outside the AmCham HK office are non-cancellable and non-refundable. No-shows will be charged.
When Typhoon 8 (or above) or Black Rainstorm Signal is hoisted, all events will be canceled

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Contact us

Chambers Conversation: An Update on US-China Commercial Relations

Event Details

Agenda

March 17, 2023

Main Schedule

Speakers

Michael Hart

Sean Stein

Timothy Stratford

Eden Woon

Sponsors and Partners

Tickets

Member

Venue

Venue

Contact us

Cancellation Policy

AmCham HK

Contact us

Chambers Conversation: An Update on US-China Commercial Relations

Event Details

Agenda

March 17, 2023

Main Schedule

Speakers

Michael Hart

Sean Stein

Timothy Stratford

Eden Woon

Sponsors and Partners

Organizer

Tickets

Member

Venue

Venue

Contact us

Cancellation Policy