Top executives from several national corporations will share their insight on international trade and business opportunities in China during the inaugural Arkansas & China Business and Economic Summit scheduled for July 21 at the University of Central Arkansas College of Business.
The summit will provide executives and entrepreneurs a forum to network, share business experiences related to China and opportunities to establish new business relationships. The event is underwritten by Acxiom Corporation and Walmart.
Gov. Mike Beebe; Shane Broadway, interim director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education; and Erin Ennis, vice president of US-China Business Council are among the distinguished speakers.
Representatives from Walmart, Acxiom, Tyson Foods, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, UCA Confucius Institute and UCA College of Business will take part in several panel discussions. Topics include the Chinese legal and political system and its impact on business ventures; practical guidance on importing; and exporting and networking resources to help Arkansas business expand their markets.
“The panelists and speakers we have lined up for this event could easily be included on any similar panel hosted by an Ivy League institution or the World Bank,” said Dr. Mike Casey, associate dean of the College of Business. “They have all traveled the world extensively and understand first-hand the issues associated with business startups involving different cultures. We have experts from industry, government, and education that have the knowledge to share about some of the pitfalls and possibilities associated with doing business in China.”
Arkansas currently ranks 36th in terms of exporting. China is Arkansas’ third largest export market behind Canada and Mexico but has the population base to move into the number one spot, Casey said. China currently accounts for 6.4% of Arkansas’s export value.
UCA officials hope the summit encourages business ventures and partnerships involving Arkansans and Chinese counterparts that will ultimately result in job creation for Arkansans.
“Twenty years from now we hope to look back and see that thousands of new jobs for Arkansans can be traced to the establishment of this summit,” Casey said.
For more information or to register for the event, visit uca.edu/chinasummit. Registration fee is $90 or $50 before July 8.