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Event Wrap Up
Washington November Breakfast Roundtable Featured Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Frederick Ma, who discussed the latest developments in Hong Kong, as well as issues in inancial services, intellectual property rights (IPR), information technology, and logistics, among others. Issues Luncheon Featured US Department of Commerce Acting Under Secretary for International rade Christopher A. Padilla, who shared his thoughts prior to the December 2007 Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) meetings in Beijing. December Luncheon Program on Resolving Commercial Disputes with Chinese Parties The rogram presented panels on the latest trends in resolving commercial, investment, and trade disputes with PRC government parties and private enterprises through international arbitration and World Trade Organization mechanisms. Yu Jianlong, secretary general of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, delivered the luncheon keynote address. Cosponsored by the District of Columbia Bar, the US-China Business Council (USCBC), and other organizations.	Gala 2007 (see below) IPR Update The roundtable luncheon featured Mark Cohen, IPR attaché at the US Embassy in Beijing. Issues Luncheon on EU-China Trade Engagement Featured Nikolaos Zaimis, counselor for Trade and Agriculture, Delegation of the European Commission to the United States. Beijing November SED Breakfast Featured Ambassador Alan F. Holmer, the US Treasury's Special Envoy for China and the SED, who met with the US business community in Beijing to discuss the December SED. Cosponsored by USCBC and the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)-China. December JCCT and SED Reception The reception with US government officials visiting Beijing featured principals and deputies from the US departments of Treasury, Commerce, and Agriculture, the Office of the US Trade Representative, and the US Embassy. Nearly 140 guests attended the event.	Shanghai November China Operations Conference 2007 (see below) SED Breakfast Featuring Ambassador Holmer Holmer met with the US business community in Shanghai to discuss the December SED. Cosponsored by USCBC and AmCham-Shanghai. December New Developments in US Companies' IPR Protection Efforts in China The luncheon featured Brian Williams, senior regional manager (North Asia), Anti-Counterfeiting and Internet Safety, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Corp.; Gabriela Kennedy, Intellectual Property, Media, and Technology (IPMT) partner, Lovells LLP; and Christine Yiu, IPMT associate, Lovells. Upcoming Events Washington Issues Luncheons January 17, 2008 February 21, 2008 March 20, 2008 Forecast 2008 Reception and Conference January 30-31, 2008 For more information on USCBC events, see www.uschina.org

USCBC Holds Shanghai China Operations Conference

The US-China Business Council (USCBC) held its Shanghai China Operations Conference 2007 on November 2. Following welcoming remarks by Bob Poole, USCBC's vice president of China Operations, An Qinghu, director general of the PRC State Administration for Industry and Commerce's Trademark Office, delivered the keynote address on developments in trademark enforcement and regulation. Next, Qing Wang, chief economist-Greater China at Morgan Stanley, provided an update on China's economy. A panel discussion on the 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress featured Benjamin Lim, chief political correspondent, Greater China, Reuters, and W. John Hoffman, co-founder and principal, XRG- Exceptional Resources Group. Peter Scher, partner, Mayer Brown LLP, and former US special trade negotiator and chief of staff to Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), provided an update on China politics in the 2008 US presidential campaign.

The luncheon presentation, "Foreign-Invested Enterprises (FIE) and Shanghai's Financial Services Reforms," was given by Fang Xinghai, deputy director of the Shanghai Financial Services Bureau and vice general manager of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. A panel on the changing regulatory environment for FIEs followed. Simon Tan, partner, Research and Development Tax Services, Greater China, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA Ltd., discussed China's new tax regime; John Leary, partner, White & Case LLP, spoke on mergers and acquisitions and the PRC Antimonopoly Law; and Liang Yanling, partner, King and Wood LLP, discussed preventing and responding to labor disputes.

Guests listening to the morning keynote address at the Shanghai China Operations Conference
Photo by Harrison Xiao

Next, Michael Robert Nelson, director and head, China, Network Relationships, Global Commercial Bank, Citigroup, spoke on new banking and finance capabilities for PRC multinational corporations. Damon Paling, director, Customs and Trade, PricewaterhouseCoopers, delivered comments on managing customs and the new value-added tax rebate regime. A panel on shared services and business process outsourcing featured Stephen Chen, site manager, HP (Dalian) Global Delivery Operations Center, Hewlett Packard Co., who discussed implementing global shared services in China; Charlie Liu, president, China, VXI Inc., who spoke on outsourcing options in China; and Bill Heidke, staffing executive, IBM China Global Delivery Center, who discussed staff management in a high turnover market.

USCBC Hosts Gala 2007 in Washington, DC

The US-China Business Council (USCBC) held its Gala 2007 at the Ritz-Carlton Washington on December 5. USCBC President John Frisbie opened the event by welcoming the nearly 500 leaders from the business, government, diplomatic, and think-tank communities who attended. USCBC Chair and Chair, President, and CEO of the Boeing Co. W. James McNerney, Jr. then introduced US Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson, Jr., who was honored for his leadership of the Strategic Economic Dialogue. Following Paulson's address, USCBC Vice Chair and Chair and CEO of the Dow Chemical Co. Andrew Liveris introduced Representatives Rick Larsen (D-2nd WA) and Mark Kirk (R-10th IL), who were recognized for their role in promoting a balanced approach to China issues in Congress as the co-chairs of the US-China Working Group. Larsen and Kirk also delivered remarks that sounded the theme of active engagement with China. Thanks to the enthusiastic and generous response from many member companies, the Gala was filled to capacity.

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