On May 15, AmCham China hosted a roundtable discussion and dinner reception at the DCM residence with Jason Hafemeister, Acting Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This visit was one of the first high-level USDA delegations to visit China since before the pandemic. In addition to important meetings with Chinese government stakeholders, the roundtable provided an opportunity for US government and industry leaders to reconnect and strategize before important meetings with their Chinese counterparts. During the Round Table, the Under Secretary and AmCham members highlighted the importance of agricultural trade to the US-China relationship, emphasizing agriculture’s dependence on trade and private sector engagement. Participants shared perspectives on global agri-food trade, US priorities in China, and discussed follow-up opportunities for public-private engagement around sustainability and climate-smart technology in agriculture.
This roundtable and the subsequent evening reception provided a rare and valuable chance for US government and industry leaders to not only exchange information but also to discuss how to rebuild bridges and channels for exchange between the US and China in the agriculture, food, and beverage industries.