On February 1, 2022, the WSCRC publishes its 2nd Washington State – China Quarterly report. We started this project in October 2021 to provide industry leaders, government officials, and their staff timely and important information and analysis about key developments in U.S.-China relations, with a focus on those stories most relevant to Washington state. We also include an updated summary of notable China engagements and activities among our local businesses and organizations.

As we kick off 2022, tension continues to define the geopolitical relationship between the U.S. and China. A certain stasis has developed since President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a virtual summit at the end of November. Fortunately, there have been no major incidents to further worsen the relationship, but also no major diplomatic breakthroughs either. The 2022 Winter Olympics, once heralded as another stage for China to showcase its economic achievements, has been hindered by the emergence of Delta and Omicron variants of the Covid-19 virus.

Although the media often focuses on points of conflict between the U.S and China, business representatives who participated in a China Business Conference co-hosted by the Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai in December, noted the success of their companies in the PRC, even during the pandemic. The business leaders were upbeat about their China prospects, and many planned to increase their investments in the country.

The Council—in cooperation with its educational arm, the Washington State China Relations Fund—continues to produce webinars in an effort to present a more nuanced picture of the U.S.-China relationship. Details of the event are provided at the end of the report.

Click here to read the full report.

Welcome to the Washington State China Relations Council’s first “China Quarterly Report.” The intent of this communique is to provide timely and important information about U.S.-China relations, key developments of interest and relevance in China, and an update on the progress of local entities in their interactions with China. The Council – drawing upon its 42-year history, knowledge, and resources – is well positioned to track, analyze, and report on the Pacific Northwest’s important economic, cultural, and educational relationship with China. We hope this report, coupled with other works of the Council, provide key resources for industry leaders, government officials and their staff.

Read the full report.

The Washington State China Relations Council and its partners recently prepared a document for federal, state and local officials, outlining policies that these organizations endorse with the intent to improve the competitiveness of Washington businesses in their dealings with China.

As the Biden Administration formulates its China Policy, Washington businesses hope for a reset in the U.S.-China relationship that enables vigorous, fair economic competition and trade while honestly raising and addressing challenges. As the most trade dependent state in the union, many Washington businesses have ideas on how China policy should be shaped in the future. This document has been prepared to assist elected and government officials to understand the positions of major trade associations in our state. The Washington State China Relations Council solicited the perspectives and concerns of these associations on how the current state of U.S.-China relations impacts their members. The Council also asked these organizations what policies they would like to see implemented by the current administration and our local legislature to improve business operations and opportunities for their member companies and constituents. A summary memo consolidating the viewpoints of some members of these organizations is presented in the report.

Key policy recommendations are:

1. Create a more level playing field by eliminating non-tariff and regulatory trade barriers.

2. Create a stable, competitive trading environment through reviewing and eliminating tariffs.

3. Strengthen intellectual property and cybersecurity protections and enforcement.

4. Expand U.S. visa availability and increase predictability in the U.S. visa process.

5. Strengthen domestic Infrastructure and investment—at both the federal and state levels—to improve Washington State’s global competitiveness.

6. Advance environmental sustainability and human rights as priorities in the bilateral relationship in a manner that maintains global economic stability.

7. Seek constructive new areas for collaboration and cooperation with China, including on climate change, global health, and other common challenges.

8. Facilitate constructive sub-national relations with China.

The WSCRC would like to thank our partner organizations, CleanTech Alliance, the Northwest Horticultural Council, Visit Seattle, and the Washington Technology Industry Association, for providing their valuable inputs. Individual memos from each participating association are included in the report’s appendix.

Click to read and download the full report.