China Briefing at Port of Oakland with Port and China Merchants Holdings International officials.

Oakland, CA – March 3, 2012 – The Port of Oakland and China Merchants Holdings International (CMHI) hosted a “China Briefing and Roundtable Discussion” at the Port of Oakland March 2, 2012. The event was a continuation of the Port’s annual China symposium to raise awareness around U.S.-China trade issues and provide an opportunity for CMHI and other business partners to grow export-import trade opportunities.
The discussion covered challenges for U.S. companies when they trade (exports/imports) with China, China’s shipping and logistics landscape, maritime and intermodal infrastructure and its impacts on sourcing and manufacturing in China, and cold chain development in the Chinese hinterland. Noted U.S. trade economist, Mr. Dan Smith, principal of The Tioga Group, a freight transportation consulting service, also provided a forecast of 2012-2013 trade growth, based on consumer demand cycles in China and U.S., global currency valuations, and the shift in China’s demographic profile.

Port of Oakland Manager of Business Development and Marketing, Mr. Lawrence Dunnigan, moderated the panel that included:

• Dr. David Deng Wei Dong – Deputy General Manager of China Merchants Holdings International
• Mr. Neal Rider – CEO of China Merchants Americold Co., Ltd.
• Mr. Dan Smith – Principal of The Tioga Group

More than 60 U.S. exporters and importers, together with key executives from shipping lines and logistics services providing services in both China and the U.S., attended the event.

This program is one of several initiatives launched jointly by the Port of Oakland and CMHI as a result of their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in November 2010. The MOU is a strategic partnership for marketing cooperation to promote trade between the U.S. and China and to extend supply chain services for US exporters throughout China, with a focus on U.S. agricultural and perishable food exports from Oakland to China’s coastal and inland population centers.

The Port of Oakland is the 3rd-busiest container port on the U.S. West Coast and the 5th-busiest in the United States. It serves as a premier gateway for U.S. food products such as fruit, nuts, vegetables, meats and wines exported throughout the world. The Port is aggressively coordinating its activities with the U.S. National Export Initiative. The purpose is to expand the Port of Oakland's export cargo volume to help meet the U.S. government goal of doubling export volumes by 2015.

CMHI is a leading public port operator in China with a strategic network of ports in China's coastal regions, including the Bohai region, Yangtze River Delta, Xiamen Bay Economic Zone, Pearl River Delta, and the Southwest region.

About the Port of Oakland:
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport offering over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. Together, through Port operations and those of its tenants and users, the Port supports over 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland, CA, USA. Connect with the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and at portofoakland.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Robert Bernado
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(510) 627-1401
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