Increasing opportunities to export to China as a result of Chinese buyers sourcing products and services abroad will be explored at a China business briefing on export and import strategies, Friday, March 16, 8 a.m. — 12 p.m. at the World Trade Center Atlanta.
The event is organized by the Florida-based Wudang Research Association in cooperation with Atlanta consulting firm Market Access International Inc. and with assistance from the World Trade Center and GCG Technology Inc.
Unlike many conferences on China that focus on investing there, this one will highlight trade, looking at the “real nuts and bolts of export or import, including financing and logistics,” said Penelope Prime, director of the China Research Center at Mercer University in Macon, who is to be a speaker at the event.
“The way China’s economy is changing, trade will become more and more important, and there will be more new trade opportunities than in the past, especially exporting from here to there,” Dr. Prime told GlobalAtlanta. “Chinese companies will be going abroad to buy products and ship them home, so there will be more opportunities for collaboration and joint venturing on the trade side.”
She added that the Chinese government has officially decided to buy more from the United States to help even out the two countries’ trade imbalance. The U.S.’ trade deficit with China is the largest in the world, at more than $200 billion in 2005, which was a quarter of the U.S.’ total trade deficit.
Product, service and technology providers are invited to attend the March 16 conference to learn how to incorporate China into their international trade strategy, said Diane Alleva Cáceres, managing director of Market Access International, who helped organize the event.
Companies that have never traded with China as well as companies with experience in the country will be able to ask questions and get practical answers about managing their China imports and exports, Ms. Alleva Cáceres said.
Jeff Willis, president of China Leads LLC, will discuss exporting to China and lead a question and answer session; Timothy Heberlein, president of TS Edgewater Consultants LLC is to give a presentation and answer questions on what importers need to know about importing from China and Henry Yu, managing director of global trade solutions of SunTrust Bank and president of the National Association of Chinese-Americans, is to discuss trade finance issues.
Other panelists will present case studies of legal, intellectual property, logistics, security, market challenges and trade finance issues in China, including Randy Knott, chief engineer and vice president at MACTEC Inc., an Alpharetta-based environmental, engineering, construction management and infrastructure services firm with operations in China.
Attendees will receive the resource book, “Going East or West? A Handbook for American and Chinese Business Travelers,” as well as information on agribusiness, infrastructure and ecologically friendly technology opportunities in China. Attendees will also receive reports on China’s relationship with the World Trade Organization and with the U.S., in addition to contact information for business resources on trade with China.
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Event Details: Cash, check or money orders will be accepted for registration. In advance, send payment to Wudang Research Association, Attn: China Business Briefing, 801 International Parkway, 5th Floor, Lake Mary, Fla., 32746.
Costs are $95 in advance, $100 at the door and $25 for students.
Wudang Research Association: (407) 562-1993
Diane Alleva Cáceres: (770) 434-7756