The U.S. - China Economic Relationship

Should Americans be worried about the safety of products imported from China? Are U.S. jobs at risk because of inexpensive imports from China? Is Oregon well positioned to take advantage of growing markets in China?

On February 15, Ambassador Alan Holmer will address these and many other questions in light of the recently held third round of the Strategic Economic Dialogue in December in Beijing. Ambassador Holmer will also forecast efforts to engage with Beijing on key issues of interest to the United States for 2008. President Bush and China President Hu established the SED in September 2006, as a cabinet-level mechanism to build on shared priorities and to manage mutual concerns.

Prior to becoming the Treasury Department’s Special Envoy for China and the Strategic Economic Dialogue in 2007, Ambassador Holmer served as the president and CEO of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. A native of Oregon and a graduate of Princeton University and Georgetown University Law Center, he began his career as chief of staff to Senator Bob Packwood. In 1981, he was appointed by President Reagan as deputy assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and in 1983 was named deputy assistant secretary for import administration at the Department of Commerce.