Dear Fellow Members,
Happy New Year and best wishes for health and happiness in 2021. We are all extremely grateful to have arrived at the end of this last challenging year. But there is so much reason to be hopeful because of how tough last year was, and how well we managed through all the challenges that presented. Whether related to family, friends, or colleagues; individual safety and health challenges; issues with business continuity; being stranded in places around the world, or difficulty in returning back to family and work; and more. All these things made 2020 ridiculously hard, but – together – we managed to overcome these obstacles in the best possible way, given the circumstances.
We also demonstrated, once again, the value and strength of our community, both in what we do and in how we do it. AmCham China fortified its position as a bridge for the commercial relationship between the United States and China, and demonstrated our well-intentioned, objective, and fact-based approach to solving problems, amplifying opportunities, and working together – especially when the going gets tough.
All of that will remain true for 2021. The US-China relationship will continue to be challenging, which makes what we do and how we do it even more important. I want to express to you all my own commitment to working tirelessly alongside the entire AmCham China leadership, staff, and membership to make 2021 a fantastic year for all of us in business, health, and happiness.
I hope that our membership has a renewed appreciation for the vibrancy, relevance, and influence of AmCham China. The more you support us with your increased level of activity, the stronger we will all become. That’s good for all of us, because the stronger we are, the more influence we possess. We have demonstrated our capabilities in spades over the last year, but we need to do so again to take the Chamber to a higher level. Let’s embrace that idea together, because we need the support of you, our members, to do so.
Finally, as we look ahead to 2021, let us be proactive in creating a better environment this year, one which we all want to see. Let us not allow events to happen to us, as was unfortunately the case for the majority of 2020 due to the extraordinary circumstances. But instead, let us now take back control and craft the year ahead as we want to see it. We already have a lot of ability to influence our collective futures. When we pull together, stick to our strategy, and double down on our commitment to each other, we will be able to achieve even greater results.
This article appears in Issue 4 of the AmCham China Quarterly Magazine, which you can read here.