US-China Trade Relations Going Forward

Mr Craig Allen (President, US-China Business Council)

Note: Internal event not open to external attendees.

Topic

On January 15, the United States and China signed a bilateral trade agreement which addresses some long-standing problems in China’s trade regime: intellectual property rights, market access for financial services, currency manipulation and forced technology transfer. At the same time, both the US and Chinese governments recognise that additional, so-called Phase Two discussions are required on other important issues, focusing on: subsidies, technology policy and state-owned enterprises. This talk will provide perspective on the US-China bilateral negotiating background and dynamics. It will also explore possible next steps in these trade negotiations. The talk will include a discussion on US-China technological rivalry, and expanded use of export controls, cyber competition and investment restrictions by both sides.

Biography

Craig Allen is the sixth President of the United States-China Business Council (USCBC), a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing over 200 American companies doing business with China. Prior to joining USCBC in July 2018, Craig had a long, distinguished career in US public service. In 1985 he joined the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), where, until 1988, he was an international economist in ITA’s China Office. Subsequently, he held senior positions in Taiwan (Director of the American Trade Center: 1988-92), in China (Commercial Attaché at the US Embassy in Beijing: 1992-95) and Japan (Commercial Attaché in Beijing at the US Embassy in Tokyo: 1995-98).

After becoming a member of the Senior Foreign Service in 1999, Craig served a two-year tour at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. In 2002, he returned to Beijing as the Senior Commercial Officer, subsequently rising to the Minister Counselor rank of the Senior Foreign Service.

After a four-year tour in South Africa, Craig became Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia at the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. He later became Deputy Assistant Secretary for China. In December 2014 he was appointed the United States ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, and served there until transitioning to the USCBC in 2018.

Organiser: SOAS China Institute

Contact email: sci@soas.ac.uk

Contact Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4823