U.S. Acting Ambassador to China at 2017 APCAC Business Summit

GUANGZHOU, CHINA – April 21, 2017 – Today marks the third day of 2017 APCAC Business Summit. As the host city, Guangzhou continues to witness the grand event.

In the morning, Mr. David H. Rank, Chargé d’affaires ad interim of U.S. Embassy Beijing, H E. Ambassador Sameeh Essa Johar Hayat of Embassy of the State of Kuwait, Beijing, and Dr. Harley Seyedin, 2017 APCAC Host & President of AmCham South China made opening speeches for the Plenary Session. After opening speeches, Mr. Cai Chaolin, Vice Mayor of Guangzhou City, Ms. Yujin, Vice Mayor of Foshan City, and Ms. Sarah Delude, Representative of Boston Mayor introduced economic development of their cities respectively. Guests attended discussion panels covered various topics, such as FID, smart cities, IPR, education, Internet, as well as human resource.

Yesterday morning, Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province and AmCham South China jointly held U.S.-China Investment Cooperation Summit in White Swan Hotel. Mr. Yu Jianhua, Vice Minister of Commerce of PRC and Deputy China International Trade Representative, Mr. Ma Xingrui, Governor of Guangdong Province and Deputy Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Myron Brilliant, Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs, Mr. Charles Bennett, U.S. Consul General in Guangzhou, Dr. Harley Seyedin, 2017 APCAC host & President of AmCham South China, Mr. Scott Price, Walmart Executive Vice President and Global CAO, Mr. Bruce Quinn, Rockwell Automation, Global VP Government Affairs delivered speeches respectively. Mr. Hu Chunhua, Party Secretary of Guangdong Province and Mr. Ren Xuefeng, Deputy Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee also attended the summit. In the afternoon, with the convening of the Plenary Session themed on Areas of Opportunity in Asia Pacific, 2017 APCAC Business Summit officially started. Many huge figures attended and made presentations and speeches, speakers included Mr. Charles Bennett, U.S. Consul General in Guangzhou, Dr. Harley Seyedin, 2017 APCAC Host & President of AmCham South China, Mr. Jackson Cox, APCAC Chair, Mr. Chee Eng Gan, Greater China President of Amway, Mr. Jeoven Wong, Deputy Director of Liaison & Operation Department of CIFIT Organizing Committee, Mr. Matthew Rous, Consul General of British Consulate General in Guangzhou, Mr. Doron Bard, Chief of Consular Section of U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou delivered speeches. Afterwards, discussion panels covered various fields were held. The Honorable Eddie Baza Calvo, Governor of Guam, Ambassador Kurt Tong, U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau and other speakers exchanged their opinions on finance, tourism, immigration, as well as the new U.S. administration. Guests reaped tremendous benefits from those discussion panels.

About APCAC

Established in 1968, the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) is the association of 29 American Chambers of Commerce in the Asia-Pacific region. APCAC’s collective membership represents over 20,000 businesses, over 50,000 overseas American workers and over 10 million employees. American enterprises provided over $620 billion USD in investment and $1 trillion USD in annual trade in the APCAC region.

The APCAC Business Summit is hosted each spring by an APCAC member AmCham. The annual summit attracts corporate and government leaders from across the region and provides a valuable platform for dialogue on key issues, networking and business development.

About The American Chamber of Commerce in South China

The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating bilateral trade between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. Certified in 1995 by its parent organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., AmCham South China represents more than 2,300 corporate and individual members, is governed by a fully-independent Board of Governors elected from its membership, and provides dynamic, on-the-ground support for American and International companies doing business in South China. In 2016, AmCham South China hosted nearly 10,000 business executives, government leaders and journalists from around the world at its briefings, seminars, committee meetings and social gatherings.