From MCBC's President
Dear MCBC Members and Friends:
We applaud the recent announcement that the United States and China have reached agreement on China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. This step further integrates China into the global economy and goes a long way toward leveling the business playing field between our two countries.
One would hope that this would mean that business people’s energies could be focused primarily on developing profitable ventures. Do not deceive yourself: the political elements of the relationship have not been resolved. Significant differences remain on many fronts (e.g., human rights, Taiwan), and it will be necessary to factor such issues into the business equation for many years to come.
Once the US Congress approves Normal Trade Relations for China (and we expect that they will after significant public posturing), the real work begins. China is not a capitalist country. Its infrastructure, financial systems, and management styles will not change overnight. Transparency will improve, opportunities will increase, but the business culture still is very different from our own. The challenges of doing business in China will remain, and profits may still be slow in coming. Developing successful ventures in China will continue to require hard work. Accurate information and good relationships/guanxi will be just as important as they have been in the past.
MCBC looks forward to expanded opportunities in facilitating information sharing and networking.
Sincerely,
Clay E. Hickson
Chairman and President
December 1, 1999
Maryland-China Business Council
BALTIMORE, MD, February 22 &endash; The Maryland-China Business Council announces the election of its officers and board of directors for 1999. The new officers and board members are individuals with a wealth of business and other China related experience and include senior executives from area corporations and a retired ambassador.
MCBC officers for 1999 are:
* Clay E. Hickson, Chairman and President
* Robert C. Goodwin, Jr., Vice President
* Elizabeth Todd Lambert, Treasurer
* Virginia Alinsao, Secretary
Members of the MCBC board of directors for 1999 are:
* Virginia Alinsao, RN, MS, Assistant Administrator, Johns Hopkins International, LLC
* Charles S. Bao, President, Transviron, Inc.
* Frank J. Bowman, Jr., Vice President, Marketing-International, Baltimore Aircoil Company
* Anthony Goh, President, US-Pacific Rim International, Inc.
* Robert C. Goodwin, Jr., Executive Vice President and General Counsel, US-China Industrial Exchange, Inc.
* Stephen J. Hammalian, Ph.D., President, SJH Consultants, Inc.
* Clay E. Hickson, Managing Director, Rhoton Hill Group
* John H. Holdridge, Ambassador of the United States of America (Retired)
* Dennis A. Pitta, Ph.D., Director, Executive Education, Merrick School of Business, University of Baltimore
* Elizabeth Todd Lambert, Finance and International Business Development
* Jean Van Buskirk, Director, Sister State Program, State of Maryland (Retired)
* J. Joseph Willmott, Regional Vice President, Baltimore Aircoil Company
The Maryland-China Business Council was established informally in December 1994 and was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in March 1995. The mission of MCBC is to foster increased business understanding and activity between area firms and the People's Republic of China. MCBC fulfills this mission by providing speaker programs and networking opportunities, hosting delegations from China, and sponsoring workshops, symposia and seminars. Members represent a cross-section of corporations, entrepreneurs, academia, and government offices from Maryland, the Greater Washington, DC area, and across the country.
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