As the new year begins, AmCham China’s 2026 Chairman James Zimmerman shares a message with members on the year ahead.
Dear Members,
As I begin my term as Chairman of AmCham China, I want to thank our members, partners, and team for the confidence you have placed in me, and to look ahead to the year before us.
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It is a time to reflect on history, and an opportunity for the AmCham China community to come together around shared values of enterprise, engagement, and cooperation, especially in challenging times. This milestone shows the endurance of our country’s institutions and the role that openness, trade, and innovation have played in shaping long-term prosperity.
The 250th anniversary is also a moment to reflect on the long history of US-China trade relations and their mutual benefits. Indeed, in the late 18th century, the American colonies – during and after British rule – had significant trade with the people of China in furs, timber, ginseng, and bêche-de-mer – a rare sea cucumber delicacy prized in Chinese cuisine. In return, China traded tea, porcelain, and silks. Many historians attribute early trade with China as an important source of funding for the young American nation after it declared independence from Great Britain. One historian has written that trade between China and the newly created United States “catalyzed America’s emerging economy.”
Today, as the world’s two largest economies continue to promote trade relations, our shared history is a reminder of the longstanding role that commerce and people-to-people exchange have played in connecting our two countries.
Throughout the year ahead, the AmCham China community will hear more about this historic milestone and what it means for our member companies, their employees, and the broader business environment in which we operate.
I look forward to working with you in the year ahead as we continue to support our members and promote constructive, mutually beneficial economic engagement between the US and China.
Thank you for being part of the AmCham China community!
James Zimmerman
Chairman, AmCham China