Atlanta area institutions have sponsored several opportunities for people to learn about the implications of China joining the World Trade Organization late last year.
In February, the Young Professionals of the Southern Center for International Studies sponsored a China Briefing at the Southern Center’s facility. China Research Center Associates, Drs. Yawei Liu and Penelope Prime, participated as speakers in this event, in addition to Nancy Roth Remington of Emory’s Goizueta Business School and Joy Wei, a cross-cultural consultant at Equant.
On April 10th, Georgia Tech CIBER, along with numerous co-sponsors, hosted a day-long session entitled “China as a WTO Member: Opportunities for U.S. Firms.” The Honorable Tian Jun, Counselor and Head of the Economics Section of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, gave the keynote address. The luncheon address was given by Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, the former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Ambassador to GATT. Several local experts participated as presenters, including John Garver, Hanchao Lu, and Penelope Prime, as well as numerous representatives from large and small companies doing business with China. One of the main issues discussed at the forum was the problems and strategies relating to the protection of intellectual property rights in China.
The US-China People’s Friendship Association also hosted a session in April held at Agnes Scott College focusing on “China, the U.S., and the World Trade Organization.” There were three speakers: Andres Villegas, the Director of Marketing and International Trade for the State of Georgia’s Department of Agriculture; Kuan Yang, the Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Georgia Perimeter College, and Penelope Prime, Professor of Economics and Director of the China Research Center. The forum was divided into six topics. After each presenter shared some thoughts on a topic, the floor was opened to the audience for questions and comments.
The combination of the new business environment promised by the WTO structure, and the prospects of hosting the 2008 summer Olympics, has drawn billions of dollars of new foreign investment to China. In addition, change is currently very rapid in the Chinese economy. These types of forums serve as one way to keep abreast of these important events.
