On December 10th, 2019, China General Chamber of Commerce-San Francisco Chapter (CGCC – SF) and Asia Society Northern California co-hosted the “2019 Corporate Social Responsibility Forum” at the Marriott Hotel, in Burlingame, California. With the topic “Responsibility and Future,” this forum brought together hundreds of business leaders to discuss the various ways that overseas Chinese businesses can deliver and perform their social responsibilities.
WANG Donghua, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, XU Chen, Chairman of CGCC, President and CEO of Bank of China USA; KANG Jiande, Chairman of CGCC-San Francisco, Assistant CEO & Head of Market West Coast ICBC USA; and Ken Wilcox, Chairman of Asia Society Northern California and more than 100 other honored guests attended the forum.
In his keynote, Xu Chen, Chairman of CGCC, President and CEO of Bank of China USA, expressed that “Corporate Social Responsibility is a pursuit, a faith, an endeavor, and a responsibility.” He went on to explain that the trade between China and the U.S. is not a Zero-sum game, Chinese enterprises brought plenty of job opportunities and high-quality products to the United States, and this would bring mutual benefits to both countries.
KANG Jiande, Chairman of CGCC San Francisco Chapter, presented a certificate of appreciation signed by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Kang pointed out that Chinese companies in the U.S. are the bridge of communication between China and the U.S. By fulfilling Corporate Social Responsibility, they can be beneficial to both the local community and the U.S.-China relationship.
WANG Donghua, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, mentioned in his speech that in order to create a better business environment and help to stabilize and further develop the relationship between the two countries, it is important that business leaders learn to better perform corporate social responsibility. Consul General Huang also expressed that supporting the U.S.-China bilateral relationship is the social responsibility of both China and the U.S. and business leaders need to strengthen cooperation to bring bilateral trade back on track as soon as possible.
Ken Wilcox, Chairman of Asia Society Northern California elaborated on the discussions regarding corporate social responsibility by sharing his past experience working at the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. Mr. Wilcox explained that the cultural and legislation differences between China and the United States have led to different understandings of corporate social responsibility. According to Mr. Wilcox, corporate social responsibility is sometimes associated with Chinese culture in China, and it is often difficult for western companies to understand. He explained that the key to solving this problem is mutual understanding and transparent communication.
Following Mr. Wilcox’s keynote speech, 12 business leaders from various Chinese enterprises in the U.S. convened for a panel where they discussed energy conservation, public health, ethics of science and technology, assistance for vulnerable groups and other social welfare issues. Among the panelists were LI Weisheng, General Manager of China Southern Airlines-San Francisco and Patrick Duan, Vice President of BYD Motors North American Operations.
CGCC sincerely thanks the Chinese Enterprise Association, Asia Society Northern California as well as CGCC member companies Bank of China USA, ICBC, China Mobile International, China Southern Airlines, and BYD for their support of this event.
About CGCC
Founded in 2005, the China General Chamber of Commerce – USA (“CGCC”) has been recognized as the largest and most influential non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in the U.S. Its membership consists of more than 1,500 Chinese and U.S. companies, 54 of which are ranked on the 2019 Fortune Global 500. CGCC’s mission is to create value, generate economic growth, and enhance cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese business communities. CGCC conducts extensive research and provides a broad range of programs, services, and resources to its members and key stakeholders in an effort to foster the mutual understanding, trust, and engagement between China and the U.S. As of 2018, CGCC’s Chinese member companies have cumulatively invested over $120 billion, employ more than 200,000 people, and support over one million jobs throughout the United States.
CGCC is a national organization and includes CGCC-New York (CGCCUSA-HQ), CGCC-Chicago, CGCC-Houston, CGCC-Los Angeles, CGCC-San Francisco, and CGCC-Washington D.C.