WASHINGTON, D.C., USA – On June 26, 2015 the World Trade Center Washington, DC (Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center) hosted a delegation of Chinese business leaders from Howard University’s Executive MBA program. The event brought together 22 business executives into a dialogue with local business experts in public and private sectors eager to learn more about business practices and foreign direct investment in the U.S.

The agenda opened with a welcome by Andrew Gelfuso, vice president of the World Trade Center Washington, D.C. This was followed up by a presentation by Alain DeSarran, Special Advisor for Operations, Office of China and Mongolia, Global Markets, of the U.S. Department of Commerce, on the Global Markets initiative. Mr. DeSarran discussed the government assistance available to foreign investors in United States businesses and partners seeking opportunities in a dynamic global marketplace. The primary offering was the Gold Key Matching Service which provides customized market and industry briefings, relevant market research, appointments with prospective trade partners in key industry sectors, post-meeting debriefings and assistance in developing appropriate follow-up strategies, as well as help with travel, accommodations, interpreter service, and clerical support.

The program continued with remarks from Bill Black, president of the Greater Washington China Investment Center. He presented local opportunities for foreign direct investment (FDI) through the lens of global FDI trends. Mr. Black discussed incentives for Chinese investment including the state of the Chinese economy, the regional economy in Washington, and options that encourage Chinese presence in the marketplace including the EB-5 visa, a diverse array of industries, and public-private partnerships.

John Calisone closed the program with advice from his experience as the founder, chairman and CEO of GCS Business Capital, LLC, adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, and managing director, STS Capital Partners Securities, Inc. He emphasized that FDI represents a large section of the U.S. economy and that over 25% of the world’s FDI is in the U.S. In the greater Washington area, Mr. Calisone added, real estate is a popular investment choice for Chinese businesses and is one of the top 10 fastest growing markets in the U.S. He emphasized the importance of the EB-5 visa program that allows foreign business people U.S. residency through low limits of investment in the U.S., and then closed the program with a question and answer session. 

The Howard University delegation was hosted as part of our WTC education program, which connects expert speakers from public and private sectors to groups focused on the intersection of international business and government. The program may be customized to student groups to include an engaging video, tour of the building, and vouchers for lunch in our food court.

To learn more about student programs and trade resources, visit http://www.itcdc.com.

Photo caption: Howard University Chinese student delegation with program speakers at the World Trade Center Washington, DC, on June 26, 2015.