WSCRC speaks with the Northwest Asian Weekly about its past, present, and future plans. Our work will continue to focus on promoting trade, subnational engagement, and people-to-people exchanges. Read the article here.
Washington State China Relations Council Appoints Man Wang as the new Executive Director
The board of the WSCRC appoints Dr. Man Wang as the organization’s new Executive Director, effective November 1, 2024.
Dr. Wang previously served as the Director at WSCRC from December 2018 to October 2024. From May 2023 to August 2024, Man served as the Director of Programs for Asia Society Seattle, a global non-profit whose mission is to navigate shared futures throughout Asia and the world. In 2024, she founded People and Places, a consultancy specializing in regional and community development, demographics, and business and cultural exchange opportunities between China and the U.S. She has also held roles as Business Development Manager for China at the Washington State Department of Commerce, editor of Seattle Luxury Living Magazine, and lecturer for a professional master’s program in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University of Washington.
Man has coauthored articles on spatial disparities and community vitality in the Pacific Northwest, as well as on regional economic development in China. She has contributed book chapters on China’s urban and economic geography. She holds a BA in English Language and Literature from Liaoning University in China, an MA in International Studies from East Carolina University, an MA in Geography from the State University of New York at Albany, and a PhD in Geography from the University of Washington.
WSCRC Hosts American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai Delegation
The Washington State China Relations Council hosted a roundtable with representatives from Amcham Shanghai on September 22nd at the WSCRC offices. The Amcham delegation, led by the Amcham President Eric Zheng, visited Seattle enroute to Washington, D.C. where they will meet with members of Congress and the Administration.
WSCRC Board Member Nelson Dong opened the meeting with an outline of the challenges facing U.S. businesses in China, with particular focus on China restricting legislation being debated in D.C., the limited people to people contacts caused by the tension between our two countries.
AmCham President Zheng then presented the results of Amcham Shanghai’s annual business survey which was released on the eve of his trip. The report was compiled from the survey responses of over three hundred senior business leaders of American companies operating in China. The key finding was that current friction between the U.S. and China and its impact on business is the number one concern of American companies. While market access, IP protection and the lack of transparency in China have traditionally been the key areas of concern of American business leaders, geo-political concerns now overshadow these issues.
Mr. Zheng also noted that while there is a trend of companies to increasingly invest in third countries as a hedge against potential China related supply chain problems, most Amcham member companies are still optimistic about growing their business in China.
PRESS RELEASE: Washington State China Relations Council Integrates Educational Programs with Asia Society Seattle
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: 
Name: Man Wang
Email: manw@wscrc.org
Phone: 206-389-7204
Washington State China Relations Council Integrates Educational Programs with Asia Society Seattle
New Office is International Nonprofit’s First in Pacific Northwest
April 20, 2023 – Seattle – The Washington State China Relations Council (WSCRC), a Seattle-based nonprofit organization founded in 1979 that advocates for constructive bilateral relations and business ties, announced today it will transfer its cultural and educational programs to a newly established Asia Society Seattle office on May 1.
The WSCRC, a 501(c)(6) organization, will continue its trade-promotion and policy-advocacy work on behalf of its members throughout Washington state. These activities include helping connect government agencies and businesses across the Pacific, facilitating and leading inbound and outbound delegations to and from China, supporting foreign direct investment attraction efforts, and providing policy briefs and analysis to the Washington Congressional delegation.
The organization’s work that increases public education, advances people-to-people and cultural exchange between Washington and China and contributes to our region’s understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the bilateral relationship will be integrated into the Asia Society’s burgeoning operations in the Pacific Northwest. As a 501(c)(3), the Asia Society is not authorized to conduct trade-promotion or policy-advocacy activities.
The Board of the WSCRC has approved the integrations and shift in programming focus. Additional details regarding the opening of the Asia Society’s Seattle office will be forthcoming.
“This integration kicks off an exciting new chapter for our region, our members and Washington state businesses,” said Marc Berger, WSCRC Board Chair. “The new Asia Society Seattle office will be able to draw upon the WSCRC’s extensive experience, connections and brand equity to expand and amplify programming that advances our shared missions. Combining the expertise, depth, and legacies of these two organizations will deliver greater value and access to our member companies and the community.”
The WSCRC is the country’s leading statewide organization dedicated to strengthening trade, commercial and civic ties with China. With a membership that includes global companies, government agencies and leading experts, the Council facilitates dialogue and organizes delegations with American and Chinese business and government leaders on key policy issues, including investment, trade, environment and diplomacy. The Council has hosted or co-hosted every Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping, including the visit of President Xi Jinping to Seattle in 2015, as well as the 2014 Bo’ao Forum for Asia, the first time the conference was held in North America.
The Asia Society, founded in 1954 by John D. Rockefeller, is the leading educational institution dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships across people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context. Across the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, the Society provides insight, generates ideas, and promotes collaboration to address present challenges and create a shared future.
China Allows Travel with Visas Issued before the Pandemic to Resume
On March 13th, the official website of the Chinese Embassy in the United States issued a notice announcing adjustments to the Chinese visa and entry policies for foreign nationals travelling to China. For the moment, the announcement is only available in Chinese on the Chinese Embassy’s website.
The notice stated that,
- Starting March 15, 2023, Beijing time, Chinese visas issued before March 28, 2020 and which are still valid can be used for travel to China.
- China’s overseas visa agencies will resume reviewing and issuing various types of Chinese visas.
- China’s overseas port visa agencies will resume reviewing and issuing various port visas that meet statutory reasons.
- China will resume visa-free entry for Hainan, for Shanghai cruise ships, for foreign groups to enter Guangdong from Hong Kong and Macau, and for ASEAN tour groups to enter Guilin, Guangxi.
The first adjustment above means that those holding multi-entry, multi-year visas are able to travel to China without any additional procedures.
The Washington State China Relations Council will advise if there are any changes or additions to these newly announced rules.
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