Recap: December 2nd CEOs' China Operations Club at White & Williams

World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia CEOs' China Operations Club explores USTDA programs for export opportunities in the ever-growing China market

On December 2nd the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia (WTCGP) held an engaging members roundtable discussion hosted by law firm White and Williams, LLP, with Mr. Carl B. Kress, Regional Director for East Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe & Eurasia at the U.S. Trade & Development Agency. As Regional Director, Mr. Kress is responsible for developing and implementing USTDA's commercially-driven development program throughout China and other developing countries.
 
Mr. Kress provided an overview of USTDA's programs and how the agency supports commercial deals in China that open the Chinese market to increased exports of U.S.-manufactured goods and services. USTDA is active in a variety of sectors in China, particularly transportation, energy, healthcare and the environment. The agency's program is driven by U.S. industry interest in specific sectors that can best position U.S. goods and services and welcomes U.S. company-driven proposals and suggestions for projects and events.

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The agency (USTDA) supports commercial deals in China that open the Chinese market to increased exports of U.S.-manufactured goods and services...

USTDA promotes programs for leveraging industry innovation and resources through special “cooperation programs” in key industries. U.S. exporters can benefit from programs on business issues and join the Cooperation Programs to increase China business. These include:

• Agricultural Biotechnology Program
• Antimonopoly Law Program
• Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP)
• Energy Cooperation Program (ECP)
• Healthcare Cooperation Program (HCP)
• Standards Conformity and Assessment Cooperation Program

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As an example, here is a summary of the U.S.-China Healthcare Cooperation Program:
​​Now in its fifth year, the HCP member companies have documented U.S. exports totaling over $257 million. A key part of this program is an executive leadership training programs that brought 76 senior Chinese healthcare leaders to the U.S. for training on healthcare technologies and management. The 2013 Senior Healthcare Leadership Training Program also led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between China's Health Human Resources Development Center and the University of Kansas (KU), which hosted part of the 2013 training.

Building on these successes, in 2015 USTDA hosted 25 delegates at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and hospitals and healthcare organizations in Chicago, Illinois.

​Since 2001, USTDA has funded over 140 technical assistance and pilot projects, and 45 reverse trade missions for Chinese public and private sector officials. Information about USTDA's program in China is available here. These programs are a win-win for both U.S. exporter and the Chinese buyers.  ​

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The CEOs' China Operations Club December gathering further expanded on how companies could become involved in the cooperation programs, industry conferences and workshops in the U.S. and the reverse trade missions of Chinese delegations coming to the states to meet with exporters. The conversation included tapping into shale gas development in China via related workshops and study tours in the U.S., clean energy and smart city opportunities and the water treatment challenges and opportunities. Following the formal presentation there was continued roundtable discussion on the USTDA programs, but also dialogue on WTCGP member company business influencers including the recent Chinese regulations in the food and agriculture industry like market access registrations, government-to-government dealings, and how to export specific products such as biological and health-care products. 
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View full image gallery from this event (via Flickr)

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Companies interested in learning more about the WTCGP CEOs' China Operations Club are encouraged to speak with the CEOs’ China Operations Club manager Ron Drozd at 215-586-4248, rdrozd@wtcphila.org.

(Reporting by Ron Drozd; Editing by Marcos Reynaga and Delaney Newhart)