Campaign Statement
Hi everyone, as someone who has been involved in AmCham and US-China commercial relations for a long time but who has never run for the Board, I’m respectfully seeking your support for my running for the 2019 AmCham China Board of Governors.
US-China relations are at a critical juncture where so much is at stake. At a time like this, AmCham China assumes even greater relevance and importance in promoting mutual understanding and goodwill between Chinese and American people, and between the US business community and the Chinese/US governments.
Highlights of my career include:
- AmCham China 1998-2000, its first-ever Manager, Chinese Government Relations
- It was a pivotal era in US-China commercial relations – China’s market was growing exponentially, but many US businesses were still excluded from participation. China’s leadership was eager to join the international community and use WTO accession to force domestic reforms, but they lacked understanding of how business gets done in the West and the capacity to bring China up to global rules.
- AmCham China played a pivotal role in bridging communications between China and the United States and building up capacity for China to accede to the WTO.
- I helped the Board, the Executive Office and the Chinese Government Relations Committee of AmCham to reach out and engage the Chinese government at multiple levels, building goodwill and delivering key AmCham messages.
- I deeply participated in the creation of AmCham’s now-signature events: the annual White Paper development and delivery; the annual Appreciation Dinner; and the Doorknock mission and government debriefings.
- My AmCham experience allowed me not just a panoramic view of how US businesses were doing in China and what challenges they were facing, but also a good understanding of how AmCham could better serve members and stay relevant to them.
- Since then, I have worked successively for various MNCs – from Airbus to UTC, IBM, Royal Philips and now Nike – specializing in government and public affairs
- Prior to my MNC career, I worked for the Chinese government for 11 years in its international communications division
If elected, I will use my expertise to help AmCham develop a public affairs strategy that is up-to-date with today’s reality and that helps foster goodwill and mutual understanding between American business and Chinese government and public. I will also work with the Board and the Executive Office to better identify members’ unmet needs in order to better serve them. Despite the recent turbulence in US-China trade relations, I believe AmCham remains irreplaceable and indispensable. I count on your support to serve you. Thank you!
Biography
Mr. SHE Duanzhi joined Nike China in June 2015 as Vice President, Government and Public Affairs Greater China. In that role, Duanzhi manages Nike’s overall GPA portfolio in Greater China, including supporting the sales and commercial organization, advancing Nike’s trade agenda, protecting Nike’s assets and innovations, and enabling favorable tax and financial policies.
Duanzhi started his career as a journalist in the 1980s with the State Administration of Foreign Languages Publishing and Distribution, under the State Council Information Office, covering current affairs and international news. He joined the private sector in 1998 as manager/director of Chinese Government Relations, the American Chamber of Commerce in China. Subsequently, he managed government and public affairs for several other major multinational companies and associations, including Airbus Industries China, United States Information Technology Office (USITO) Beijing, United Technologies Corporation, IBM and Royal Philips.
Duanzhi holds a Master’s degree in communications from Illinois State University, an MBA from Fordham University in New York, and two bachelor’s degrees from Beijing University.