April 14, 2016 – The American Chamber of Commerce in China today celebrated 25 successful years of helping US companies invest and grow in the country. Around 200 guests celebrated the 25th anniversary of AmCham China on April 14 at the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel, with guests of honor including Commerce Vice Minister Zhang Xiangchen, US Ambassador to China Max Baucus and US State Department Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Ziad Haider.

 

AmCham China Chairman James Zimmerman shared the organization’s history and praised the work of the other 28 American chambers of commerce from around the region that were attending the dinner as the part the annual business conference of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce.

 

“All AmChams over the years have played a leadership role in building bridges between the United States and with the countries where we operate,” Zimmerman said. “Our member companies represent billions of dollars in investments and trade, employ hundreds of thousands of employees across the region, and provide strong export opportunities for American companies. All of us represent the best that America has to offer by bringing to Asian consumers world-class technology, goods and services.” 

 

Informally created in 1981, AmCham China was one of the first foreign chambers to register with the government once it became possible to do so. On April 22, 1991, [Bridget R1] it became recognized as the only chamber representing the interests of American business in China. Since its founding, AmCham China has grown from some 120 corporate members to almost 1,000 today. It has also expanded beyond its Beijing headquarters to include offices in Wuhan, Tianjin, Shenyang and Dalian.

 

During the past 25 years, AmCham has helped its members develop business opportunities, provided them crucial business services, and spoken on their behalf to the US and Chinese governments. At the heart of the American business community in China, it has provided a platform for sharing information and helped hundreds of businesspeople build their networks in China. It has also helped to establish a series of innovative public-private partnerships in aviation, energy, healthcare and agriculture that have brought the US and Chinese governments and companies closer together.

 

Vice Minister Zhang said that AmCham China had made “a positive contribution to the healthy development of US-China economic and trade relations. The 25 years of AmCham in China is also a period when US China economic and trade relations have prospered and shone with each passing day.”

 

In his remarks, Baucus said: “We have made great progress… especially in the last 25 years aided by the support of our friends in AmCham. Perhaps 25 years from now we’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of AmCham China, and the 25th anniversary of a US-China Bilateral Investment Treaty, and the first 25 years of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

 

About AmCham China

The American Chamber of Commerce in the People's Republic of China is a non-profit, non-governmental organization whose membership comprises more than 3,800 individuals from over 1,000 companies operating across China. The chamber's nationwide mission is to help American companies succeed in China through advocacy, information, networking and business support services. AmCham China is the only officially recognized chamber of commerce representing American business in mainland China. With offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Shenyang and Wuhan, AmCham China has more than 60 working groups, and holds more than 300 events each year. Visit: www.amchamchina.org

 

For more information, please contact:

Jane Song

Tel: (8610) 8519-0835

Email: jsong@amchamchina.org