Speaker: Businesses need better Chinese access
Businesses, including those in Dayton, need better access to the Chinese market, one of the largest in the world.
That was the message from John Manzella, president of Manzella Trade Communications Inc., who was the keynote lunch speaker Thursday at the Miami Valley International Trade Association’s World Trade Day.
Trade between the United States and China is changing, he said. It started with American businesses buying direct from China, then went to American businesses producing in China and selling products globally. Now, the current state of trade has businesses producing in China to sell to China’s domestic market, Manzella said.
“We have access, but we want to have continuing, unwavering access,” Manzella said.
Manzella Trade Communications is a communication and public affairs firm in New York. The meeting also included other presentations on the theme of doing business with China.
Manzella’s point was about the essential relationship between these two countries. China is the U.S.’ fastest growing and third largest export market, he said. Top trading partners of the U.S. are Canada and Mexico.
The lunch talk featured several points, according to Manzella.
• China is setting its own agenda and doing what it sees as right for its country; and
• China has shown confidence coming out of the Great Recession and needs the U.S. less. However, both countries are mutually dependent. China needs access to U.S. and world markets, the U.S. needs China to help finance its debt and both need to cooperate on political issues such as North Korea and Iran relations, terrorism and climate change.
“If we view China as the enemy, every issue that comes up will default to fear,” Manzella said.
The message needs to be taken to heart politically and economically, said C. Don Niece, a consultant in import and export regulations for compLight LLC of Tipp City. The importance of doing business with China depends on the industry and not a company’s size, he said.
“Its got to be one of the most important markets,” said Niece, who was at the Trade Association’s lunch.
Manzella is the author of “Grasping Globalization: Its Impact and Your Corporate Response.”
The Miami Valley International Trade Association is a nonprofit organization for networking in overseas development and has 80 company members.