November 4 – 14, WSCRC Executive Director Man Wang accompanied Washington State Department of Commerce Director Joe Nguyen to China to attend the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai and the 8th IASC Aerospace Summit in Changsha and Changde, Hunan Province. WSCRC also supported planning for the trip.
The goals of the trip included promoting Washington state’s key sectors, exchanging ideas on the importance of subnational engagement in improving U.S.-China relations, gaining a better understanding of China’s economy, and exploring opportunities and challenges in the Chinese market.
At CIIE, the group visited and talked with exhibitors and, government officials, and businesses leaders to explore opportunities to strengthen the state’s economy. They also met with U.S. companies in Shanghai to understand the business environment for American businesses in China and to gather in-country perspectives on how Washington state strengthen engagement.
The IASC Aerospace Summit provided a great opportunity to discuss international collaboration with aerospace companies and associations from other parts of the world and gain insights into the development of China’s aerospace sector. Director Nguyen also provided keynote remarks and participated in a panel discussion, highlighting Washington state’s aerospace industry and its global collaboration effort.