Saint Martin’s spearheads ambitious China business conference

In keeping with its commitment of serving the community and the world, Saint Martin’s organized an innovative conference, “The Timing is Right: Doing Business With China,” last spring. It brought together numerous international trade gurus including Washington Gov. Gary Locke, Consul General Ambassador Peng Keyu of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco, and Joseph Borich of the Washington State China Relations Council.

Organized by Saint Martin’s School of Business and Economics and Office of International Programs, the conference built on what they’ve learned and observed about Chinese business culture through the University’s programs in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Japan. For Saint Martin’s students, it was an opportunity to learn more about multicultural and international business, a growing emphasis in business majors. For the 240 conference-goers, it was a chance to learn from the best experts in the Northwest.

Saint Martin’s faculty member Riley Moore, an economics and finance specialist, said, “In the next 20 years, trade is expected to double with China, a country in dramatic economic transition. The enormity of opportunities this represents, as well as the misconceptions, fears and pitfalls, provided impetus.”

Among the University’s conference partners were two economic development groups; three public ports, state agencies and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. To read more about the conference, go to  http://www.stmartin.edu/business/index.htm and click on the Chinese dragon.