This week, for the first time in three years, an AmCham China’s DC Door Knock delegation, led by Chairman Colm Rafferty and President Michael Hart, is currently on the ground in Washington DC for a week of meetings with think tank representatives, members of Congress and various departments of the Biden administration.

Check back here daily for the latest updates on who we’ve been meeting and what we’ve been doing (listed below in chronological order):

Day One

The first session of the the week was a breakfast briefing by David Finkelstein from the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA), who outlined the various angles of tension over Taiwan, while also explaining the view from Washington on a number of national security issues.

Following that was a meeting with the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, at which several Commissioners asked questions of the AmCham China delegation regarding the AmCham China White Paper and April Flash Survey Results.

Next was a lunchtime briefing at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), hosted by Scott Kennedy, who invited half a dozen of his colleagues to swap views on issues pertaining to China and the region.

After lunch, the delegation split into two groups, with half (above) meeting Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from the Department of State.

The other half of the group (above) met with Ambassador Sarah Bianchi, the Deputy United States Trade Representative, who discussed the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and other trade-related topics.

Day one finished with a meeting with Derek Scissors from the American Enterprise Institute. Scissors discussed with the group the challenges of coordinating China-focused policy in DC, while sharing his views on how best the delegation should look to promote diversification in their operations and supply chains.

During the Conference, the 25th edition of the American Business in China White Paper was officially launched. This annual signature advocacy publication comprehensively assesses the operating environment for foreign companies in China and comprises 40 chapters written by hundreds of member company representatives, providing thoughtful analysis of the industries, cross-sector issues, and regions of importance to AmCham China’s membership.

AmCham China President Michael Hart gave welcome remarks and introduced the first keynote speaker, Fang Jin, Vice Chairman and Secretary General at China Development Research Foundation (CDRF).

The event’s first panel discussion focused on the evolution of the White Paper over the past 25 years and included panelists who were also all alumni of AmCham China: Catherine Beck, Head of External Relations at Western Academy of Beijing; William Zarit, Senior Counselor at the Cohen Group; Duanzhi She, VP of Government and Public Affairs at Nike Greater China; and Patrick Wang, Consultant at East-West International Education Group. She, who served as the very first head of GA at AmCham China, highlighted the core values of transparency and credibility that have been consistent throughout the White Paper’s evolution. Wang, a former Vice President at AmCham China, stressed the importance of the White Paper as a starting point for internal conversations within companies. Zarit, a previous Chairman of the Board of Governors, provided advice on the White Paper’s recommendations for the Chinese government and how to categorize and prioritize issues when presenting them. Beck, another former head of GA at the Chamber, noted that the messages conveyed in the White Paper eventually get through to the US or Chinese government, but not as immediately as one might hope. Overall, the panel discussion emphasized the importance of the White Paper in facilitating communication between AmCham China members and Chinese officials.

The second panel discussed the role of GA in facilitation and localization strategies with panelists Bing Zhou, VP of China Corporate Affairs at Intel China; Gloria Xu, China Country Manager, VP External Affairs at Albemarle China, and AmCham China Vice Chair; Wenjie Gu, Chief China Representative at Zoom; and Min Yi, former MTR Chief Advisor at MTR Corporation. During their discussion, the panelists emphasized that a company’s localization strategy should depend on its capabilities and goals, rather than being pursued solely for the sake of localization. The panelists agreed that successful companies prioritize effective localization strategies, which can be separated into local empowerment and autonomy. The panelists also discussed the importance of safety and security in the context of supply chain decoupling, noting that many foreign companies are seeking to localize and establish connections with state-owned enterprises to strengthen their supply chains. They further emphasized the need for foreign companies to understand the laws of the countries in which they operate. The panelists acknowledged the significance of GA in China due to the state’s significant role in regulating private enterprises and stressed the importance of GA professionals being integrated into a company’s overall strategic planning.

The next keynote speech was delivered by Zhang Xiaoqiang, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE). In his remarks, Zhang emphasized the importance of the US-China relationship, despite its current issues. He noted that on April 20th, US Treasury Secretary Yellen emphasized that the US is seeking a fair and strong economic relationship with China, and that last year, both presidents committed to continued dialogue and cooperation in the Bali G20, Indonesia. Zhang also noted the White Paper as a good channel for building a common understanding, and “reasonable recommendations” in White Paper will be considered by relevant Chinese government departments.

The final keynote was given by Ning Zhu, Senior Partner & Head of China at Brunswick Group, who discussed the state of China’s economic development, challenges, and risks. He predicted robust growth in 2023 but with a more conservative target than before due to the secular trend of slowing down. Medium to long-term challenges include supply chain disruption, demand shrinkage, weakening expectations, and the current negative view of the US-China relationship. Zhu also mentioned a near-term housing bubble, medium-term debt overhang, and long-term declining population. Changing economic policy themes include a lower growth target, less aggressive monetary and fiscal stimulus, and a focus on high-quality growth. Shifting priorities include de-leveraging and re-leveraging, double carbon, crackdowns on education, gaming, and real estate sectors, dual circulation, common prosperity, and a re-focus on economic growth and opening up.

The 2023 Government Affairs Conference offered a valuable opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest developments and trends in China’s economy and government affairs landscape. Bing Zhou, Vice President of China Corporate Affairs at Intel China and Co-chair of the Chamber’s Chinese Government Affairs Committee (CGAC), provided insightful closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of government affairs professionals in navigating the complex regulatory environment in China.

We thank the two sponsoring companies, Merck and Dell, all the speakers and participants for their valuable contributions to this successful event and look forward to future opportunities for collaboration and learning.

In the same afternoon, AmCham China and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) co-hosted the US-China Business Leaders Forum where around 30 participants from AmCham China, CCIEE, and senior executives from American and Chinese companies had a productive discussion on digital economy and sustainability.

“Some 87% of respondents to a flash survey taken last week said they were at least slightly pessimistic about US-China ties, according to the survey published Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in China. That was 14 percentage points higher than the chamber’s previous poll.”

“Bilateral relations between the United States and China have substantially deteriorated,” said Mr Lester Ross, chair of AmCham China’s Policy Committee. “It’s hard to see at this point when they will begin to improve – and this, of course, affects the ability of business to operate across borders.”

Program Introduction

Supporting women to develop and succeed in their careers has always been one of the missions of the Tianjin Women Professionals Committee (WPC). But with the competition for talent intensifying, it’s becoming harder for companies to hire the brightest and most ambitious new candidates.

Therefore, AmCham China, Tianjin would like to offer your team FREE access to AmCham China, Tianjin WPC Mentorship Program, helping female employees to strengthen their career confidence and get applicable career planning and advice for success in the workplace.

Under this special Program, you can encourage your team to give back and develop their leadership skills by becoming featured mentors. Connecting with young professionals for one-on-one mentoring will help them develop into ambassadors for your company, as well as build meaningful relationships with prospective talent.

* Applicants’ information will be kept confidential, and AmCham is not responsible for the results and assumes no legal risk.

Mentors

Stay tuned for more mentors.

On the afternoon of April 21, representatives from Boeing, Textron, Landrum & Brown, and Universal Weather & Aviation met with senior leaders from Henan Airport Group. Geoffrey Jackson, Executive Director of AmCham China’s ACP, opened the meeting by expressing thanking the Henan Airport Group and the US Embassy in Beijing for supporting the launch of the program. Jackson also introduced the program, highlighting its aim to promote people-to-people educational and cultural exchanges, in line with the goal established during President Biden and President Xi’s meeting in November 2022.

Kang Shengzhen, Chairman of Henan Airport Group, and Liu Jianmin, General Manager of Henan Airport Group also joined the meeting. For his part, Liu spoke about his previous training experience with ACP’s Airport Management and Operations Efficiency Training Program (AMOETP) and stressed the importance of aviation education and exchange. He went on to encourage AmCham China and ACP to hold more aviation education activities in Henan Province, which has a solid foundation for aviation development, a strong aviation culture, and a good educational aviation environment.

On April 22, the day began with a welcome ceremony at Shangjie Airport. Sherry Carbary, President of Boeing China and ACP Co-Chair; Xia Lidong, Deputy District Mayor of Shangjie District People’s Government; and Angela Guo, Deputy Secretary General of AOPA China, all delivered remarks. They highlighted the importance of aviation education and praised the work the Chamber and ACP are doing to educate young students.

Representatives from Boeing, Textron, Landrum & Brown, and Universal Weather & Aviation Weather shared their extensive aviation knowledge and experience with local teachers, including a discussion about the history of aviation development and general aviation development. The program attracted participation from over 160 primary and college aged students.

Rocky Zhang, Vice President of Government Affairs of Textron, delivered the event’s closing remarks. He underscored how the aviation sector drives economic development and innovation, and pointed out that the work China is doing in this field has been critical for the larger global aviation community.

The meeting included a Policy Roundtable Meeting where AmCham China Vice President Claire Ma gave a warm welcome to the group and introduced the development situation of foreign healthcare companies and the investment environment in China. More than 20 enterprise representatives participated in the meeting and engaged in in-depth discussions with the department personnel on important topics such as volume-based procurement, dual channels, and other related policies. The Beijing Healthcare Security Administration answered questions and committed to carefully follow up on the reasonable demands put forward by the enterprises.

On the morning of April 19, the AmCham China delegation visited the State-Level Ganjiang New Area in Nanchang, Jiangxi. The delegation met with Xiangyang Zhao, Vice President of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Representatives from healthcare companies such as Becton, Dickinson, and Company, Boehringer Ingelheim, Edward, Stryker, Bio-Rad, Roche Diagnostics, Amgen, and others joined the delegation for a business investigation.

During the roundtable meeting, Ma and the member company representatives shared their current business situations and achievements in the Chinese market. They expressed their expectations of obtaining more development opportunities in Jiangxi. The State-Level Ganjiang New Area team also introduced the investment environment and emphasized their willingness to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between Jiangxi and the US business community.

During the afternoon of April 19, the delegation attended a meeting with the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, which was jointly organized by AmCham China and the committee. Several officials from local government agencies, including Saizhong Wu, Deputy Director of the Jiangxi Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shouyuan Xiao, Second-level Inspector of the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission, and Shaoqing Zhang, Director of the Social Security Department of Jiangxi Provincial Healthcare Security Administration, attended the meeting and had face-to-face exchanges with AmCham China’s Jiangxi delegation group.

At the meeting, both sides had professional and productive interactions on multiple topics, including medical security, public health services, and the service capabilities of medical institutions. Ma expressed gratitude for the arrangement by the Jiangxi Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the strong support from Jiangxi Provincial Medical Products Administration, Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission and Jiangxi Provincial Healthcare Security Administration for this meeting. AmCham China, the Jiangxi Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the local healthcare-related government departments in Jiangxi Province all agreed that government-enterprise dialogue can greatly help foreign-funded enterprises in China to understand the local market and development opportunities, and further promote the integration of foreign-funded enterprises into China’s economic and social development.

On April 20, the AmCham China delegation visited the Nanchang National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. The group was joined by Fei Li, head of the Investment Promotion Department of Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. During the visit, the group was hosted by Qianjin Wu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Nanchang National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and they visited the High-Level Talent Industrial Park, JeminCare, and Aixi Lake Park.

Later, Lei Yang, an official from the Management Committee of Nanchang National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, hosted a roundtable meeting with representatives from AmCham China, Jiangxi CCPIT, and the Management Committee. The meeting allowed companies’ representatives to gain a deeper understanding of relevant investment policies in the zone and provided the Management Committee with insights into the challenges faced by foreign enterprises investing in China. Both sides expressed interest in exploring more areas of cooperation.

Overall, the AmCham China delegation’s trip to Jiangxi province was a success, with many productive meetings and visits to various healthcare-related companies and clusters. The delegation had valuable interactions with local government officials and gained a deeper understanding of the investment environment in Jiangxi province. The trip also provided a platform for enterprises to share their current business situations and achievements in China and express their expectations for further development opportunities. With the strong support from local government departments, the trip helped promote mutual understanding and cooperation between US and Jiangxi-based companies, and further contributed to the integration of foreign-funded enterprises into China’s economic and social development.

As production and the rhythms of daily life return to normality, consumption in China is expected to recover at an accelerated pace. At the same time, scientific and technological innovation and green transformation are driving investment in manufacturing. China’s economic growth forecast for 2023 has improved significantly, and the Chinese economy is expected to become the main engine of global economic growth once again. Given this context, talents are anticipated to become critical resources for companies of all sizes, playing a significant role in determining their ability to achieve success during China’s economic recovery.

Offline & Virtual Job Fairs

Job fairs are an effective channel for recruitment, especially for companies that need to hire a large number of talent. With the rise of remote work and online communication, job fairs could be held virtually online, which can better connect job seekers with employers worldwide. These events can be hosted on platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, allowing job seekers to explore opportunities, network, and interview from their own homes.

Meanwhile, with travel restrictions and other COVID-19 control measures mostly lifted, the job fair can once again be held offline – this helps facilitate more candid and direct communication between the two sides, enhance understanding, and avoid the potential negative outcomes of virtual interviews.

Skills-based Hiring

In the post-COVID era, many industries will need to go through major changes to their business structures, supply chains, commercial targets, and business strategy. Against this background, skill-based hiring can help companies find the best-matched talents for their success during the economic recovery period.

Different from traditional recruitment which focuses more on candidates’ qualifications, such as education, career background, and certificates, skills-based hiring focuses more on the skills of candidates that are essential for handling the job and their ability to adapt to new challenges.This approach can help companies attract a more diverse range of candidates and ensure that businesses have the right talent pool to meet changing demands.

Upskilling and Reskilling Programs

Upskilling and reskilling programs refer to internal training programs that can help employees improve their skills or develop a skillset they do not have. As businesses recover from economic downturns and face significant gaps in in-house talent capacity and knowledge, upskilling and reskilling programs can be valuable investments for companies.

By providing current employees with the necessary skills to succeed in changing industries, businesses can boost employee morale, increase retention rates, and ensure they have the talent required to succeed.

From an enterprise perspective, staff training can improve the capabilities of employees and the decision-making abilities of leaders, strengthen collaborative working relationships at all levels, promote operational quality and efficiency, and help the enterprise grow more efficiently and strategically.

For employees, effective training can stimulate their potential and improve their adaptability, working attitude, and sense of responsibility, and cultivate a sense of belonging to the company. It can also help to improve their knowledge base, confidence, and enthusiasm for their work.

Referral Programs

Referral programs are another effective recruitment strategy for companies. Companies can incentivize their current employees to refer qualified candidates for job openings. This can be done by offering bonuses or other rewards for successful referrals. Referral programs are a great way to find top talent quickly while also boosting employee engagement and retention.

Collaborative Hiring

Collaboration between companies and recruitment agencies can help to create shared talent pools, with agencies providing access to a range of skilled candidates. This can help businesses quickly and efficiently identify and hire the best talent while reducing the costs and resources associated with traditional recruitment.

In recent years, collaborative hiring, especially headhunting, is growing more and more popular among international enterprises and is frequently chosen by enterprise managers. This is mainly due to the following advantages:

• Strong level of confidentiality: One of the most basic rules of the headhunting industry is confidentiality, which includes not publicly disclosing information from clients and candidates.
• Time- and cost-efficient: Headhunting firms usually specialize in certain industries, and consultants have long-standing contact with the best people in those industries. It can take years and a lot of networking to develop these types of connections. Headhunting consultants also have professional talent search technology and databases, which are more efficient than other recruitment methods.
• High-quality candidates: Headhunting consultants have many years of experience in human resource management and can conduct scientific and effective interviews. Through background investigation methods, such as CV verification and personnel investigation, they can repeatedly select candidates who closely match the job requirements.
• Lowered risks: The accuracy of headhunting increases the rate of successful recruitment, which means that companies usually do not need to hire again in the short term for the same position. Additionally, companies typically only make full payment for headhunting services after the talent has successfully passed their probation period, which not only reduces recruitment costs at the outset but also mitigates the risk of unsuccessful recruitment due to unforeseen factors during the onboarding process.
• Value-added services: By collaborating with headhunting companies, in-house HR teams have access to industry trends and can receive authentic feedback from candidates indirectly through the headhunting process. Furthermore, once recommended candidates are successfully on-boarded, headhunting companies offer a range of services to help them quickly acclimate to their new position, maximize their skills, and drive value for the company.

Identifying suitable candidates who can help achieve your company’s business objectives and growth targets is a major challenge in the Chinese market. Without the necessary skills, approach, and dependable recruitment partner, many companies invest significant time and resources without successfully securing the talent they need. To maintain a competitive edge in talent acquisition, companies are encouraged to adopt the latest and most effective recruitment strategies.

The event was moderated by AmCham China, Tianjin Chairman Marcus Williams, and featured briefings from AmCham China President Michael Hart and Ricky Xue, Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consultants (Shenzhen) Limited Beijing Branch.

Before introducing the speakers, Williams specifically appreciated the distinguished guests in attendance, including executives who devoted their ideas to the survey, guests from the European, Hong Kong, and Japanese Chamber of Commerce, as well as the present officials from CCPIT Tianjin, Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Science and Technology of Science and Technology, Tianjin Airport Economic Area Investment and Promotion Bureau, and TEDA Administrative Commission.

During Hart’s presentation, he provided a thorough overview of the China Business Climate Survey Report, which included detailed explanations of the data and presented objective statements. The 2023 report analyzes over 20 sectors, drawing on data from half of our members. It covers investment trends, regulatory developments, intellectual property, and US-China bilateral relations. The report highlights a slightly pessimistic outlook for US companies in China concerning China’s openness and business climate.

We were pleased to have Xue present the Tianjin figures and findings from the 2023 survey results, who brought us an in-depth examination of the top 5 business challenges identified by Tianjin-based multinational corporations (MNCs), as well as the opportunities for growth identified by local companies in Tianjin. He emphasized the implications of the survey’s findings for the future of business in Tianjin and brought more positive outlooks on the business trend.

During the Q&A session that followed, Hart and Xue answered questions from attendees on a diverse set of issues, including the strengths of China’s overall investment market, supply chain, and Jingji-jin-ji Area’s development. More than 50 participants were attracted to the briefing, offering them a special chance to acquire valuable insights and engage in discussions.