May 2021 Newsletter
Remember these?

Image by Bryan Alexander on Flickr
Hit the Road!
OK, we still can't conveniently go to many places overseas, but it feels so near you can almost smell the jet fuel. Hope springs eternal!

On a serious note, May 22 saw the passing of an important Chinese agronomist, Yuan Longping. Yuan's work on hybridizing rice made him revered in China, as it led to much greater crop yields and thus greater food security. If you are not familiar with his story, take a moment to read about his life and work.
In this issue of the Greater Columbus Chinese Chamber of Commerce newsletter, you will find the following:

  • Chinese Chamber Member Spotlight: Columbus Regional Airport Authority

  • Chinese Chamber Member News

  • Chinese Chamber News

  • Community News

  • Past Events

  • Upcoming Chinese Chamber (in bold) and partner events (in italics):

  • May 27, Business Success in China - Tips from American Entrepreneurs, US Heartland China Association

  • June 18, Skills Employers Seek in Global Employees

Member Spotlight
Did you know that there are regular flights between Columbus and Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific?

Thanks to Chinese Chamber member Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA), Columbus' people and goods are well-connected to the Chinese-speaking world.

The CRAA manages John Glenn International Airport (CMH), Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK), Bolton Field (TZR), and Foreign Trade Zone 138.

There is always news coming from the CRAA, from new passenger flights to new cargo service; you can keep up with it by following their LinkedIn page.

By the way, those Cathay Pacific flights are for cargo only, sorry!
Member News
The Columbus School of Chinese is excited to announce a new Beginner online class meeting Thursdays, 7:30-8:30pm, June 3 – July 29, 2021.

Online Course Features:
  • Live interaction with the instructor and fellow learners
  • Class recordings viewable throughout the term
  • Course book and audio included
  • Digital flashcards for practice anywhere, anytime
  • Time-tested curriculum designed for and by non-native learners
  • Lessons centered on targeted, practical interactions
  • Join class from anywhere with high speed internet

Course fee $180. Spots are limited. Join the largest community of non-native Mandarin learners in the US!

Morrison Medical was recently highlighted on the Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association website!

To read the story please click here.
Chinese Chamber News
Meet Our Summer Project Assistants from OSU
We are pleased to have the help of three students from Ohio State this summer!

Following in the footsteps of our winter term project assistants from Denison University, Washington, Boris, and Kaleb are helping with outreach and creating graphic and textual content for the website and social media this summer.

Click on their names above and connect with them on LinkedIn!
Chinese Chamber Website Updates
Visit the Chinese Chamber website to see these updates:



  • List of some of the networks around the world to which members have access on the Become a Member page


If your organization would like to offer a discount on your good/service to our members, please contact executive director Pat McAloon.
Updates from OBIS:

  • Quarterly Meeting – Friday 6/4, 11 AM to Noon: We are excited to announce that we will have Congressman Anthony Gonzales speak at our Q2 OBIS meeting! The Congressman will discuss his family’s personal experience with the immigration system and provide an update on immigration efforts from the Hill. We will be sending out a meeting invite and agenda shortly.
 
  • Summer Congressional Meetings: Over the last several months, OBIS representatives Kyle Petty and Madison Whalen have met with most of the legislative directors for each of our Ohio Congressional delegation members. Many of the congressional offices spoke about their interest in setting up ‘in district’ meetings with our coalition members and their member of Congress. This will be a great opportunity for you to speak openly about how the current immigration system has impacted your business, as well as present suggested changes that could alleviate workforce issues. If there is a specific member of Congress you’d like to participate in an in-district meeting with, please let us know.

  • Social Media Takeover: Later this summer OBIS will be working with their partner, New American Economy, on a social media takeover highlighting immigration success stories and the impacts of immigrants on our economy and workforce. We will discuss this in greater detail at our meeting, but ask that you please consider sending us any examples within your organization, or your membership, that we could highlight.

If you are interested in participating in future OBIS events/discussions, please feel free to reach out to the Chinese Chamber or to OBIS directly.
Readers of the Chinese Chamber newsletter may enjoy Trivium China's free daily newsletters, which boil down the hot topics in Chinese government and economics... and with humor.

To sign up, just go to their website. It can load a little slowly (they're in China!), but it'll get there!
Community News
"Ten Historic Christian Buildings in Wuhan"
Photo: China Christian Daily
Columbus' friendship city, Wuhan, has a long history of international contact, and China Christian Daily recently started describing buildings in Wuhan related to Christianity. It's an interesting article, and there seems to be a Part II coming!

Click here or the image above to read the article.
"Taiwan Chipmaker UMC to Spend $3.6B to Expand Capacity"
United Microelectronics is going to spend USD $3.6 billion to expand semiconductor chipmaking capacity in Columbus' sister city in Taiwan, Tainan.

Read more about it here.
"Nio Extends Cooperation with JAC"
Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC) will continue to manufacture Nio electric vehicles at JAC's plant in Hefei, Columbus' sister city in the PRC.

Nio EV's will begin to be sold in Europe this fall, with exports to Norway expected to begin in September. Read more here.
Recent Chinese Chamber Events
May 12 Resources for Central Ohio Exporters
On May 12, 2021, the Chinese Chamber was honored to have a panel of export experts share resources available at the Federal, state, and private levels for companies looking to begin or expand their exporting of goods or services.

Our speakers were:
* Darren Srebnick, Director of the US Commercial Service office serving Central Ohio
* Alex Kohls, Senior Area Manager, US Small Business Administration
* Steve Renaker, VP of Business Development for Chinese Chamber member Global Recovery Group

They shared sources of considerable grant and loan support for exporters, as well as sources of expertise to make deals happen... and resolved when they sometimes go south.

You can find the presenters' slides and contact information here.

Upcoming Chinese Chamber Events
June 18, 2021 10am ET
Skills Employers Seek in Global Employees
In this round table event, our panelists discuss the skills that employers working across borders seek, and how educational institutions prepare learners for those jobs.

Following brief statements by each guest speaker, an extended Q&A session will give the audience an opportunity to address their own interests.

Our panelists are:

  • Mike Billman, EVP for Sales & Marketing, D-Terra Solutions
  • Hannah Meyer, Vice President, Columbus Council on World Affairs
  • Jane Palmer, Associate Director for Global Commerce Programs, Denison University
  • Galal Walker, Director, National East Asian Language Resource Center, The Ohio State University

This event will be useful for:

  • HR professionals interested in hearing what other companies and schools are doing to maintain a skilled global workforce
  • Career office and guidance counselors at educational institutions
  • Instructors in business and area studies
  • Students interested in global careers

Following the event will be 30 minutes of small-group networking in virtual breakout rooms.

Admission is free for members and $10/person for non-members.
Upcoming Partner Events
May 27, 2021 8pm ET
Business Success in China - Tips from American Entrepreneurs
Are you interested in doing business in China but don’t know where to start? Do you wonder whether there are good opportunities for your business in China? Do you want to know what it takes to build a business in China and make it successful? Come to listen to our speakers tell their stories.

Though this event is free, participation is by invitation only. The USHCA has set aside two seats for Columbus Chinese Chamber members.

If you are in a member organization and would like to attend, please contact Pat McAloon.

If you are *not* a Columbus Chinese Chamber member but would like to attend, please apply for an invitation by going here.
Chinese Chamber Members
Click below to visit our members page, where you can click through to any member's website.
Keep up with news and events by following our LinkedIn
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