Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard invited to participate on panel for Bay Area Council “2019 California Technology Business Matchmaking” forum (Shanghai, China)

On June 24, Dr. Jean-Marc F. Blanchard, Executive Director of the Mr. & Mrs. S.H. Wong Center for the Study of Multinational Corporations, participated on a Panel entitled “Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Cross-Border Collaboration on Innovation” at the Bay Area Council orchestrated “2019 California Technology Business Matchmaking” forum in Shanghai, China, which included entrepreneurs, investors, consultants, government officials, and industry association representatives. As part of the panel, Dr. Blanchard spoke about the overall innovation environment, some of the political, cultural, and other challenges Chinese companies face when they invest in the United States (US) and US companies face when they invest in China, the politico-social milieu around the current US-China trade war and associated longer term trends, and the gains to be had from cross-border investment and cooperation. Among other things, Dr. Blanchard highlighted the securitization of technology and the anti-China mood in Washington as problematic developments, spoke about the need for Chinese and American companies to be attentive to political and social sensitivities and not to think the way they did things in their respective countries translated well abroad, and argued companies needed to embrace a multi-faceted market-entry and operational strategy involving advocacy, outreach, and government relations.