As Oregon continues to weather economic transitions, the trade relationship between Oregon and China is receiving some extra attention. Business leaders, economic experts and government officials in China and Oregon are eager to explore new economic partnerships.
As Oregon continues to weather economic transitions, the trade relationship between Oregon and China is receiving some extra attention. Business leaders, economic experts and government officials in China and Oregon are eager to explore new economic partnerships.
On Thursday, March 1, the event “China’s Economic Forum: The Oregon-China Partnership” will explore ways to expand Oregon’s exports to China. The forum is sponsored by the Confucius Institute at Portland State and the Oregon-Fujian Sister State Association, and is also co-sponsored by Business Oregon and the NW Regional China Council.
The general purpose of the forum, said Jin Lan, president of the Oregon-Fujian Sister State Association, is “to have a lively discussion on the economic partnership between Oregon and China.”
Lan explained that the forum was also created to address the concern that trade between Oregon and China mainly benefits China. He said that although China is actually Oregon’s top export destination, what he wants is “to overcome some of the misperceptions and explore a new way that the two countries can work together.”
According to Tom Potiowsky, director of the Northwest Institute for Applied Economics, the belief that China benefits more from the relationship is closely tied to the idea that imports from China lead to fewer jobs in Oregon. “Generally, a more open trading relationship, one that is a level playing field in both countries, will help boost trade,” Potiowsky said in an email interview.
Potiowsky, who also chairs the economics department at PSU and has served as the State Economist, said that Oregon does benefit from the relationship. He pointed to a report from the WISERTrade database that supports Lan’s assertion that China is Oregon’s top export destination. It shows that in 2010, China accounted for almost 23 percent of all Oregon exports and was ranked the number one export destination. China continued to rank number one in 2011.
Encouraging an even stronger partnership between Oregon and China is something that Meiru Liu, executive director of the Confucius Institute at PSU, actively pursues. Liu has been closely involved in cultural and educational exchanges between Oregon and China, and even encourages Chinese tourists to visit Oregon. “Hopefully through our efforts we can bring more business from China to Oregon so we can stimulate Oregon’s economy,” Liu said.
Liu will make the opening remarks at Thursday’s forum and will introduce the two keynote speakers, Zhansheng Gao and Bruce Hanna.
Gao, of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, will give a speech titled “Oregon-China Partnership in Economic Development,” and Hanna, co-speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, will present “Reflections on the Oregon Legislative Trip to China and its Implication for Oregon-China Economic Partnership.”
Lan will moderate the panel discussion, in which audience members are encouraged to participate.
The panel will feature Xiang Xia, chief commercial counselor at China’s Consulate General in San Francisco, who will present “China’s Import Opportunity for Oregon.” Xia has previously worked at China’s Ministry of Commerce in the Department of Foreign Trade, the Negotiation Office for International Trade and most recently the Bureau of Fair trade.
The panel will also feature four high-profile Oregonians with close ties to state economic interests.
Jonathan Fink, vice president for Research and Strategic Partnerships at PSU, will follow Xia with “Urban Diversity as a Hub to Promote Economic Development,” and after that, Business Oregon agency director Tim McCabe will present “Oregon-China Trade Opportunities.”
Cylvia Hays, a fellow of the Clean Economy Development Center, will present “Oregon’s Clean Energy Competitive Edge,” and Port of Portland executive director Bill Wyatt will wrap up the panel speeches with “China-Oregon Transportation Links.”
Thursday’s event will be held in the Academic and Student Recreation Center Auditorium, room 1, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. There will be refreshments from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
