WSCRC

Washington State China Relations Council

Cybersecurity: US-China Cyber-Enabled Economic Warfare

On October 16, 2017, WSCRC joined the AJC Asia Pacific Institute to welcome Dr. Samantha Ravich to an invitation-only discussion on cybersecurity at WSCRC in Seattle. Dr. Ravich, Principal Investigator for the Project on Cyber-Enabled Economic Warfare and former Deputy National Security Advisor in the Office of Vice President Cheney, shared her perspectives on growing security challenges of cyber-enabled economic warfare.

Based on extensive knowledge and experience in the field, Dr. Ravich elucidated the multi-dimensional nature of the motives behind cyber-attacks and the relationship between the US economic and military strength. Dr. Ravich detailed how cyber-attacks pose an imminent danger to critical US industries including banking, infrastructure, intellectual property, and intelligence, which underpin the economy and fund US powerful military.

While the US and China are often seen as being at odds in the terms of cybersecurity, Dr. Ravich pointed out that in fact it is in the best interest of both parties to work together on this front, especially in consideration of the interdependence of the two economies. Additionally, Dr. Ravich discussed the potential role that Israel, a global leader in cybersecurity, could play as the third corner of the US-China-Israel triangle, in leading the conversation on cybersecurity and attacks and defining global security norms.

Special thanks to the AJC for co-organizing with WSCRC and to Dr. Samantha Ravich for participating in this informative, invite-only briefing.

Summary author: Trudy Boothman

Policy Briefing Series — Free and Fair Trade: Assessing US-China Trade Policy

     
     On October 19, 2017, WSCRC convened the eighth session of the Policy Briefing Series at Harris Bricken Law Firm in Seattle. Murray Lee, owner of MKL Enterprises, and William Perry, an international trade lawyer, addressed the issue of free and fair trade in the United States’ trade policies regarding China.
     Mr. Perry explained that free trade is vitally important to the wellbeing of the US economy and to its global competitiveness. In Mr. Perry’s opinion, it is critical that the US remain stalwart on issues of free and fair trade as the global trend leans ever more strongly toward Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).  His concern regarding the current administration’s push toward protectionist policies is the risk they pose to agriculture and the high-tech industry, both of which rely heavily on trade and exports. Perry urges policy makers to consider three factors as they create policies which will have seriously implications for the US economy. Firstly, that they bear in mind that compromise is the essence negotiation, and that other nations have a right to sovereignty and to seeking their own economic interest. Secondly, that the costs of not joining a trade partnership must be carefully weighed. Lastly, they must consider that unwillingness to negotiate may result in loss of credibility and influence, which could portend reciprocally difficult demands upon the US in future negotiations as well as relinquishment of global influence.
     In Murray Lee’s opinion, the issue of reciprocity stands at the forefront of US trade relations with China. Mr. Lee expects that the two systems—the United States’ market driven economy and China’s centrally controlled system—will come to a head in the coming decades; the “question of the century” is what the collision will look like. China faces a “host of challenges and…panoply of complex issues,” explained Mr. Lee, but China’s ambition to attain global economic preeminence cannot be underestimated. “Reciprocity is needed, but I don’t think it’s there right now,” Mr. Lee concluded.  Consequently, Mr. Lee advocates that we “proactively anticipate” problems, and create a game plan to address them. This will require engagement at every level to promote dialogue, delineate boundaries, and eventually create fair and reciprocal trade access.

Guangxi Delegation International Trade Policy Program

On July 12, 2017, the Washington State China Relations Council hosted a government and business delegation of 22 members from Guangxi Province. Guangxi is an autonomous region in southern China, bordering Vietnam. It holds one of the biggest seaports in China.

 

In the morning, the delegation joined a meeting with the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT) and Harris Bricken at Harris Bricken’s Downtown Seattle office. Speaker Ashley Dutta, Vice President of WCIT, addressed the importance of trade to Washington State, especially the international trade relationship with China. Followed by Ashley’s presentation, William Perry, Partner of Harris Bricken shared with the delegation his assessment of the current US political environment and its impact on future US-China trade relations.

 

In the afternoon, Port of Seattle generously provided the venue for the meeting. Speakers include Robert A. Kapp, WSCRC Founding Governor; Emily Lawson, Partner of Harris Bricken; Adams Lee, Partner of Harris Bricken and Eric Schinfeld, Senior Manager Federal and International Government Relations for Port of Seattle. The topics covered during the meeting include: U.S. Anti-Dumping Policy and its impact on international trade between U.S. and China; U.S. Trade Actions on Import and Export; U.S. Custom Law reform; U.S. Customs Compliance and Enforcement; overview of the Port of Seattle and Northwest Seaport Alliance.

 

The delegation had an interactive exchange with the speakers and will return to China on July 17th.

POLICY BRIEFING SERIES — Outlook on China’s Economy and Market Reforms: Risks and Rewards

On June 28, 2017, the Washington State China Relations Council ran the fourth session of its Policy Briefing Series with a content-rich panel discussion. Speakers included:   Spencer Cohen, Senior Economist with Community Attributes Inc.; Andrew Batson, Director of China research for Gavekal Dragonomics; and Fabio Ghironi, Paul F. Glaser Endowed Professor in Economics at the University of Washington. Victor Chan, Vice President & Country Manager for China, Hong Kong and Singapore with U.S. Bank’s International Banking Group, and WSCRC board and executive committee member, served as panel moderator.

Spencer Cohen presented an insightful analysis of China’s market-reform policies and key elements that define “market” – free entry/exit of products; market-driven prices; capital flows; and land ownership.

Andrew Batson explained key trends in China’s market reforms: 1) China’s growth has slowed a lot, but will slow more. As China gets richer, its growth will keep slowing; 2) SOE (State-owned enterprise) stimulus spending has helped hold up growth – the retreat of the state sector has ended; 3) The quality of investment has declined – China’s return on capital has sharply declined since 2007; 4) China’s debt is high and still rising; 5) Inefficient SOEs are a  growing weight on China’s economy – SOEs borrow and invest a lot while contributing less to GDP and jobs.

Fabio Ghironi presented an in-depth assessment of how much the Chinese government controls the country’s trade and the decline of Chinese state-owned exports. Prof. Ghironi also assessed the rise of protectionism across the globe and in China as well as the Chinese yuan (RMB) as the world’s fourth most-used economy, despite Chinese government efforts to accelerate the globalization of the RMB.

Over 25 representatives from representing Microsoft, Nyhus Communications, Washington Search Partners, WA State Department of Commerce, WSP, Skagit County, and the business community attend the session.

US Bank Seattle office generously provided the venue for this event.

 

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U.S. State Department International Visitor Leadership Program Delegation

On June 23, 2017, the Washington State China Relations Council and the World Affairs Council hosted he U.S. State Department International Visitors Leadership Program delegation with 15 government, parliamentary, and media representatives from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

WSCRC Chairman Andy Wilson and President Mercy Kuo led a robust, interactive discussion with the delegation on the following topics: future trajectory of US-China relations; China’s one-belt-one-road initiative; China’s domestic reform and potential impact on US-China relations; China’s increasing awareness of environmental protection; Chinese technology transfer and intellectual property protection and impact on US and Chinese businesses; and US foreign policy.

K&L Gates Seattle office generously provided the venue for this meeting.

 

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