Fireside Chat with USF President Paul Fitzgerald and BAC President Jim Wunderman

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           Bay Area, the 17th largest economy in the world, is the home to world-leading universities,  technology leaders, thousands of innovative startups, and many of the world’s most highly capitalized companies.  Many of those companies are global, and active in both trade and investment. The Bay Area is also a historic gateway to China, with the oldest and largest Chinese population, cultural fluency, and deep university and business ties witnessed by venture flows, R&D, and large numbers of Chinese students who study at Bay Area universities.  Ripples in the US-China economic relations are felt throughout the region, and the trade war launched in 2016 by the Trump Administration and the subsequent deterioration in political relations have been damaging. The Biden Administration has brought policy change, but how much?

            We have invited two prominent Bay Area leaders to share with you what they see occurring in the Biden Administration and how these changes impact the Bay Area, particularly in education and high technology. University of San Francisco President Paul Fitzgerald and Bay Area Council President Jim Wunderman will offer their views on the direction of the Biden administration’s China policies, strategies for how to navigate the uncertainties that are now deeply embedded in the US-China relationship, and the potential for continued cooperation between the Bay Area and China.

           Sean Randolph, the senior director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, will introduce the topic for discussions and the session will be moderated by Peter Lorentzen, Professor of economics and the CBSI executive board member at University of San Francisco.

On April 14th, 2021, the China Business Studies Initiative at the University of San Francisco hosted a webinar titled: Examining China's Investments in African Nations: Promises and Influences. The purpose of this CBSI panel is to examine whether or not China's interests in Africa are legitimate in the 21st century's ever-changing global economy and what the US should do in response if anything.

The event opened with Dr. Xiaohua Yang, the Director of China Business Studies Initiative, welcoming everyone. Foreshadowing the excellent event, Professor Yang stated, "We have gathered a stellar group of the world’s leading experts and scholars to discuss one of the most important triangular relationships: Africa, China and the US.". The webinar discussed China's ability to invest in developing economies, specifically direct investments to African nations, ranging from mining raw materials, infrastructure development, and market penetration. The panelists also entertained a robust Q&A session with a very engaging audience.

Dr. Richard Greggory Johnson III moderated the event. The stellar panel included the names of Dr. Marco Tavanti, Dr. Beatrice Matiri-Maisori, Dr. Peter Ping Li, Dr. Motolani Agbebi, Dr. Arie Y. Lewin, Dr. Jeffrey Pallier, and Dr. Jean-Claude Maswana.  The panel speakers cover four continents: North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

中加美三国专家团队网上讨论加中贸易投资

This upcoming event is designated to address the potential responses in Canadian policies to two recent China related multilateral agreements. The regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) announced last November is the world’s largest free trade agreement, covering approximately a third of the world’s population and economy. The China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) signed last December will reportedly grant the EU enhanced market access in China. These two agreements might have a deep impact on Canada-Asia trade and investment relations as well. Top business experts from Canada, the USA and China will discuss and debate on the best Canadian business strategies for China and Asia to promote Canadian business interests in the Area.