Supply chains were a key focus at a recent forum where a Chinese business delegation made a reciprocal visit to the United States following a significant government session in Beijing.
The delegation was the first to visit the U.S. after the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. This visit followed an American business delegation’s visit to China last week.
Lin Shunjie, chairman of the China International Exhibition Center Group Ltd, stated that many foreign entrepreneurs are eager to restore and enhance their global supply chain layouts, which they believe heavily involve China. He emphasized that China offers opportunities to maximize supply chain efficiency, minimize costs, and optimize structures.
Lin made these comments at the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in New York on Monday.
Last year, China hosted the world’s first national exhibition focusing on supply chains, the China International Supply Chain Expo. The event saw participation from 515 companies across 55 countries, including over 100 Fortune 500 companies. According to Lin, American companies had the highest presence among foreign enterprises at the expo.
Foreign companies were particularly impressed with China’s innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, which help reduce supply chain expenses significantly, Lin noted.
Jonathan Webb, CEO of Packable, the largest seller on Amazon and Walmart in the U.S., stated that the company ships between 60,000 and 100,000 orders a day. Webb mentioned the importance of connecting with Chinese infrastructure, including platforms like Temu and TikTok.
Webb highlighted the critical role of China in global e-commerce, noting that a significant portion of goods sold online are manufactured there. He also addressed concerns about tariffs and their impact on supply chains, emphasizing the need for solutions to mitigate these issues.
Continuous cooperation between the U.S. and China is seen as essential for optimizing global supply chains, Webb said, noting that such cooperation also creates jobs in the U.S. and stimulates the local economy. He warned that increased tariffs could drive U.S. innovators to move manufacturing to other countries, potentially disrupting supply chains.
The Chinese delegation, led by Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), included business leaders from Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. The group is scheduled to attend meetings in Maryland and Washington DC.
Participants at Monday’s forum included Huang Ping, consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in New York; Peter Tichansky, president and CEO of the Business Council for International Understanding; and Declan Daly, CEO of the American International Business Council. Over 300 representatives from Chinese and American businesses and trade communities attended.
Huang highlighted China’s market potential, noting its annual import of $2.5 trillion in goods and services and its second place in attracting foreign direct investment. He emphasized the importance of expanding market access and promoting an open economic system for global cooperation.
Ren underscored the increasing common interests between China and the U.S. in areas such as trade, agriculture, climate change, and artificial intelligence. He stressed that strengthening supply chain cooperation would help stabilize global industrial and supply chains, contributing to economic growth for both countries and beyond.
A delegation from the board of directors of the U.S.-China Business Council visited China last week, including leaders from FedEx, United Family Healthcare, Boeing Global, and Educational Testing Service. Xiao Sun, secretary-general of the China Chamber of International Commerce, expressed the goal of communicating new openness measures from the recent plenary session to the American business community and understanding their responses and demands.
Stay updated with supply chain logistics news on The Supply Chain Report. Free international trade tools are available at ADAMftd.com.
#SupplyChain #USChinaRelations #GlobalTrade #EconomicCooperation #SupplyChainNews
