WSCRC

Washington State China Relations Council

WSCRC Compiles COVID-19 Resources

Dear WSCRC Members and Friends,

The Washington State China Relations Council hopes you are doing well despite the uncertainty and challenges brought upon by COVID-19. In response to this crisis, governments at the federal, state, and local levels have created assistance programs to help businesses and their workers to withstand these difficult times. Public health organizations publish and advocate guidance on how to protect yourself, your family, and your workplace. The amount of information available can be daunting. We did some research and collected a list of resources that are most relevant to businesses and individuals in the region to share with you. We are hoping this will provide a useful one-stop shop for information and save you time navigating these various resources. We will update the list as the situation develops.

Even though we are not able to host regular events and programs at this time, we are working very hard to organize webinars on COVID-19, bringing experts in related field t to share insights and best practices in response to this situation.

The trade war and coronavirus have inevitably made it challenging, more than ever, to promote stronger U.S.-China relations. We hope you stand with us and continue your critical support of the mission of the WSRCR.

Stay safe and stay healthy.

J. Norwell Coquillard

Man Wang

The Governor’s office COVID-19 resource list for impacted Washington businesses and workers: https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/covid-19-resources/covid-19-resources-businesses-and-workers

  • This list includes information on available financial assistance (including SBA loans), export assistance, employer and works assistance, and insurance assistance.
  • Please note for the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans, the following counties are currently eligible to apply: Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Klickitat, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, and Whitman. According to Washington State Department of Commerce, more counties are likely to become eligible in Washington State.

City of Seattle’s Resource list: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19

  • This list provides information on support to: healthcare, immigration-related issues, food support, utility bills, worker/artist support, small business/non-profit support, and home education support. It’s worth noting a few assistance measures created for small businesses and non-profits, including
  • B&O Tax Deferment
  • City of Seattle Small Business Stabilization Fund – an emergency fund that’s approximately $1.5 million that provides working grants up to $10,000 to qualifying small businesses. http://www.seattle.gov/office-of-economic-development/small-business/small-business-programs-/stabilization-fund-
  • COVID-19 Response Fund – a one-time operating fund created by a coalition of philanthropy, government, and business governors and hosted by Seattle Foundation. It will provide support to organizations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus. For more information, please visit https://www.seattlefoundation.org/communityimpact/civic-leadership/covid-19-response-fund.

Lists of banks offering assistance to customers affected by Coronavirus https://www.bankrate.com/banking/coronavirus-list-of-banks-offering-help-to-customers-financial-hardship/

 

Washington State Department of Health https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus (available in multiple languages)

  • This website provides information on symptoms and testing, coronavirus fact sheet and educational materials, industry-specific response guidance, and updates on coronavirus development in Washington State.

Public Health – Seattle and King County https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus.aspx (some information available in multiple languages)

Port of Seattle COVID-19 Response Page https://www.portseattle.org/news/updates-ports-covid-19-response

  • Provide updates on SEA airport, maritime facilities, and employees and community partners.

Snohomish County COVID-19 Response page https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5589/COVID-19-Response

Center for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

World Health Organization https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019; https://www.who.int/zh/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 (Chinese page)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WSCRC Hosts Chinese Counsel General Wang for a Day in the Seattle Metropolitan Area

Consul General Wang Donghua of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco spent Friday February 14th visiting government officials in Everett, Seattle and Tacoma. WSCRC made the arrangements for the day which started with a meeting with Congressional Representative Rick Larsen in his field office in Everett. After discussions about the coronavirus the CG and Representative Larsen had a frank discussion about reciprocity and agreed to disagree on number of points noting that the difference in governing systems in our two countries can create misunderstandings.

The Consul General then moved to Seattle where he met with Chris Green, the Director of the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness for the Washington State Department of Commerce and Robert Hamilton, the Governor’s Advisor for trade policy. This discussion focused on trade and the products that Washington would like to sell to China under the Phase 1 Trade Agreement.

The visitors traveled to the South Sound for the afternoon where the WSCRC team took them to meet with John Wolf, the CEO of the Northwest Seaport Alliance and Tong Zhu, the Chief Commercial Officer for the Alliance. The discussion there focused on trade with China and the role of Chinese shipping lines serving the Seattle-Tacoma area.The CG concluded his day with a visit with the Mayor of Tacoma, Victoria Woodards at her office. Mayor Woodard was pleased to introduce her city to the Consul General and to listen to his remarks regarding the China-U.S. Relationship.

WSCRC Shares Opinions on Coronavirus

Originally published on Seattle Times February 12, 2020

There has been a long, deafening silence from the Trump administration on the coronavirus. What actions have transpired include steps to protect U.S. citizens, which we support, but also embarrassing gaffes, such as Wilbur Ross’ rightly pilloried remark that the coronavirus presents potential economic opportunities for American workers.

The United States has long been able to carry itself above the fray, putting aside adversarial country-to-country grievances to bring humanitarian help and supplies to those in need. To address this global health crisis, we strongly encourage the federal government to provide basic humanitarian aid to China.

It was this country, even after labeling Iran part of an “axis of evil,” that delivered much needed humanitarian aid in 2003 to victims and others displaced by a catastrophic earthquake. It was the U.S. that, without hesitation, sent legions of medical staff and military personnel to sub-Saharan Africa in 2014 to combat the spread of Ebola and treat those infected. Yet in 2020, as the entire nation of 1.4 billion Chinese is under quarantine, there has been hardly a mention from our national leaders on what the U.S. can do to support China in this time of crisis.

Yes, the U.S.-China relationship has its share of warts. There are countless complaints by the U.S. government and American business about China’s subsidization of state-owned enterprises or its stealing of intellectual property. But these grievances do not extend to the Chinese people, many of whom in Wuhan and elsewhere are running out of basic medical supplies like masks and surgical gowns.

In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the United States and other countries have closed their borders to visitors from China to contain the spread of the virus. Although the World Health Organization does not recommend or encourage countries to close borders, it is a sovereign nation’s right to protect its citizens in a manner it believes effective. We will not argue this decision. However, as the world’s leading economic power and a country with a proud history of providing relief during humanitarian disasters, the U.S. should step up to assist and aid China to mitigate the impacts of the virus on the Chinese citizenry.

At the Washington State China Relations Council, we have been fielding multiple inquiries about how concerned local citizens may donate masks, gowns and other items as well as questions about where to direct cash donations destined for China. Emails have poured into our office from Chinese organizations asking for help to source supplies for local and regional health authorities.

Citizens around the country are leading grassroots funding campaigns and gathering medical supplies that will hopefully find their way to China. International nonprofit organizations such as Project Hope are arranging for chartered flights to carry supplies to Wuhan and other large Chinese metropolises. U.S. corporations, many of them based here in Washington, have donated large quantities of medical supplies. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has made $100 million available to fight the virus.

The U.S. has volunteered to send Center of Disease Control (CDC) experts to China to help Chinese medical authorities with their study and strategies to control the virus, which should be commended. However, more is needed.

It is time for both countries to put name-calling and inaction aside and work together to solve this global crisis. The U.S. government should immediately solicit medical supplies and other needed items for China — if even on a limited basis — and offer these to the Chinese authorities. Such a goodwill gesture not only supports efforts in China to stem the crisis but will also help to mitigate the risk that the virus could rapidly multiply in our country. The amount of aid is not the real issue — this is a question of doing the right thing for people in need.

WSCRC Welcomes Phase One Trade Deal with China

The Washington State China Relations Council welcomes the signing of the Phase One Trade Deal with China. The Council sees the agreement as a modest step in getting the two economies back to business, however, the deal does not address the underlying issues of conflict between the two countries.

Under the terms of the agreement China has pledged to purchase $200 billion of US products along with commitments to address intellectual property and currency concerns as well as to improve market access in sectors such as financial services.  The US will cancel tariffs that had been scheduled to be enforced on Dec. 15, 2019 and cut in half a previous round of 15 percent tariffs on $120 billion worth of products.

Key issues, such as subsidies and industrial policies were not included in this agreement and remain major sources of friction between the two countries.  These issues will supposedly be tackled in the Phase 2 discussions which have yet to be scheduled.

WSCRC will host an event “Unpacking the U.S. – China Phase 1 Trade Deal” on February 6th in Seattle to exam the newly signed agreement and to outline opportunities for Washington State Companies. Please REGISTER HERE.

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