Page 4 - SCBJ-201701
P. 4
South China Business Journal
LEADERSHIP Transitions are a necessary and often challenging part
of our work in both the private and public sectors. Many
people are wondering how the incoming administration will Also in November, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker
affect the broader U.S.-China relationship and our work here at and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, together with
the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. Two things are certain: First, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, co-chaired the 27th U.S.-
this transition will be a peaceful one - as President Obama said, China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT)
“the peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our meetings in Washington, D.C. The two sides focused on ensuring
democracy.” Second, we will have a new U.S. Ambassador to the full implementation of past JCCT commitments and also
China and we are committed to doing everything possible to announced further steps to promote open trade and investment.
ensure a smooth transition for the new Administration and the
incoming Ambassador. For everything else, it is simply too soon Transitions can go smoothly, like the November 29
to tell. However, two recent high-level meetings serve to remind implementation of the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS),
us of the central importance of the U.S.-China relationship and which successfully facilitated the travel of Chinese nationals to
our long-standing policy priorities here. the United States. Government and commercial partners helped
spread the word about EVUS and did their part to ensure every
President Obama and President Xi held their last official affected traveler was registered with EVUS before traveling to
meeting in November, on the sidelines of APEC in Lima, Peru. the United States. Thank you to everyone for the collaborative
The two leaders reflected on the significant progress they effort.
achieved in strengthening the bilateral relationship through
sustained engagement and focused efforts to manage differences Whatever the new year brings, rest assured that I will continue
responsibly and to expand practical cooperation on regional and working with U.S. companies to solicit your ideas for moving
global challenges, including through U.S.-China joint leadership U.S.–China economic relations forward.
on climate change. President Obama encouraged China to
continue moving toward a domestic consumption-driven Charles Bennett
economic model, to further reform its state-owned enterprises, Consul General
to strengthen its financial system, and to fully transition to Consulate General of the United States of America
a market-determined exchange rate. President Obama also Guangzhou, China
affirmed the United States’ fundamental belief that individual
nations and our global economy are more prosperous when our
companies can compete on a level playing field, when territorial
and maritime disputes are resolved peacefully, when states
respect norms of responsible behavior in cyberspace, and when
human rights and dignity are respected.
2
LEADERSHIP Transitions are a necessary and often challenging part
of our work in both the private and public sectors. Many
people are wondering how the incoming administration will Also in November, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker
affect the broader U.S.-China relationship and our work here at and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, together with
the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. Two things are certain: First, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, co-chaired the 27th U.S.-
this transition will be a peaceful one - as President Obama said, China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT)
“the peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our meetings in Washington, D.C. The two sides focused on ensuring
democracy.” Second, we will have a new U.S. Ambassador to the full implementation of past JCCT commitments and also
China and we are committed to doing everything possible to announced further steps to promote open trade and investment.
ensure a smooth transition for the new Administration and the
incoming Ambassador. For everything else, it is simply too soon Transitions can go smoothly, like the November 29
to tell. However, two recent high-level meetings serve to remind implementation of the Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS),
us of the central importance of the U.S.-China relationship and which successfully facilitated the travel of Chinese nationals to
our long-standing policy priorities here. the United States. Government and commercial partners helped
spread the word about EVUS and did their part to ensure every
President Obama and President Xi held their last official affected traveler was registered with EVUS before traveling to
meeting in November, on the sidelines of APEC in Lima, Peru. the United States. Thank you to everyone for the collaborative
The two leaders reflected on the significant progress they effort.
achieved in strengthening the bilateral relationship through
sustained engagement and focused efforts to manage differences Whatever the new year brings, rest assured that I will continue
responsibly and to expand practical cooperation on regional and working with U.S. companies to solicit your ideas for moving
global challenges, including through U.S.-China joint leadership U.S.–China economic relations forward.
on climate change. President Obama encouraged China to
continue moving toward a domestic consumption-driven Charles Bennett
economic model, to further reform its state-owned enterprises, Consul General
to strengthen its financial system, and to fully transition to Consulate General of the United States of America
a market-determined exchange rate. President Obama also Guangzhou, China
affirmed the United States’ fundamental belief that individual
nations and our global economy are more prosperous when our
companies can compete on a level playing field, when territorial
and maritime disputes are resolved peacefully, when states
respect norms of responsible behavior in cyberspace, and when
human rights and dignity are respected.
2
