WCIT’s Trade Summit Brings Focus to Issues Shaping Regional Economy
Panels on Supply Chains, US-China Trade Shed Light on Challenges and Opportunities
December 2, 2021. Seattle, WA – Two critical issues that significantly impact Washington state’s tradereliant economy were the focus of this week’s 2021 WCIT Trade Summit, a virtual event open to members of the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT). Panels for the Thursday event, “Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions” and “US-China Trade Relations,” gave participants the opportunity to discuss how these international economic issues impact businesses, workers and communities in the Pacific Northwest.
“Our trade summit is WCIT’s signature event and a great opportunity to bring together top experts with our business, government and community leaders to discuss the critical trade issues that are driving our regional economy,” said WCIT President Lori Otto Punke. “Few issues are more significant to our state than the bottlenecks facing our nation’s ports and the tensions surrounding the US-China relationship.”
Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation and Melissa Nelson, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for the SanMar Corporation, shared their perspectives on the crisis hitting businesses and workers resulting from bottlenecks in the supply chain. Both panelists outlined the ongoing challenges facing businesses, the complexities of the problem and the ongoing stresses on the system based on mounting demand. The discussion on US-China Trade Relations featured Derek Scissors, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) specializing in US-Asia economic relations. Dr. Scissors shared with summit participants his perspectives on how changes in the China market and policies enacted by the current leadership are impacting not only US business interests but also US international policy engagements.
“WCIT’s core mission is to evaluate, educate and engage on the most consequential trade issues facing Washington state,” said Otto Punke. “Based on the strong level of engagement from our members, this year’s summit was a positive step in bringing various groups together to increase understanding of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
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ABOUT WASHINGTON COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE: On behalf of our members – manufacturers, farmers, retailers, service providers and non-profits – the Washington Council on International Trade advocates for pro-trade policies and investments that benefit Washington’s workers and employers. Trade paves the way for Washington-made goods and services to reach foreign markets, provides Washingtonians with products that raise our quality of life, and sustains family-wage jobs in numerous local industries. To learn more, visit us at https://www.wcit.org