Evening Discussion
Drinks Reception 5:30 pm
Discussion 6:00 pm
Close 7:00pm

Asia-Pacific economies are full-steam-ahead on forging trade agreements among themselves and with others, viewing trade as an effective way to stimulate growth and create jobs. Meanwhile, the United States is stepping aside from its economic leadership in the region. In the eight months since the U.S. exit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the remaining TPP countries are moving closer to completing the deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations have advanced considerably, and China is moving ahead at a rapid pace with its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

What do these developments mean for the region, and how will they impact on the U.S.? Is China ready to take the mantle of economic leadership in the region? How do U.S. trading partners view the Trump Administration’s trade agenda?

Join the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) for a discussion with senior trade experts from the Asia-Pacific region. The discussion builds on a report on trade published by the Asia Society Policy Institute in March and is part of a project to develop and publish practical recommendations for policymakers in the region to pursue regional trade integration — and how it can most effectively be achieved in a dynamic trade landscape. 

Charles Finny is a Partner at Saunders Unsworth Ltd. He was CEO of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce from 2005 to 2010, and prior to that he worked as a diplomat and trade official, including postings in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Mr. Finny is a member of the Board of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the New Zealand Film Commission and Kawarau Estate Limited. He is also a member of the Victoria University of Wellington Council and a former Chair of the Local Government Forum.

Peter Grey is Chair and Non-Executive Director of MLC Limited. He is also Senior Advisor for International Business Engagement and Co-Chair of the Japan Business Group at Corrs, Chambers, Westgarth. He has served as Ambassador of Australia to Japan, the European Union, and the WTO, as well as Ambassador for APEC. During his time as Deputy Secretary of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, he focused on trade policy and negotiations and bilateral political and economic relations with Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

Kim Jong-Hoon served as South Korea’s minister for Trade. A career diplomat with 38 years of experience in foreign service and trade issues, Mr. Kim has held key postings in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Geneva, Canada, and France. He led the Korea-U.S. FTA as the chief negotiator from 2006 to 2007. Between 2007 and 2011, he worked extensively on Korea’s bilateral and multilateral trade-related issues and concluded and put in place FTAs with India, the EU, Peru and the U.S. 

Shotaro Oshima is Chair of the Institute for International Economic Studies and Adjunct Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. Mr. Oshima served as the Government of Japan’s Special Representative for TPP from 2012 to 2013. From 2005 to 2007, he served as Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Korea; and from 2002 to 2005, he represented Japan as the Permanent Representative to the WTO. He was formerly Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs for Japan.

Zhang Jianping is director general of the Center for Regional Economic Cooperation, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, China. He is also vice president of China’s Research Association of Social and Economic System and professor of economics at Peking University. Prof. Zhang is a member of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs. He has published over 100 papers and four books. 

Wendy Cutler is Vice President of ASPI and Managing Director of the Asia Society’s Washington, DC, Office where she focuses on building ASPI’s presence in Washington and leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade and women’s empowerment in Asia. This follows nearly three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She most recently served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, where she was responsible for the TPP agreement, including the bilateral negotiations with Japan. (Moderator) 

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