Since the publication of the September-October issue of the AmCham e-Magazine two months ago, there have been significant happenings in US-China Relations.  Notably, the two leaders – President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping –met in Korea and arrived at a truce in the trade war that was intensifying.  In this issue, the cover story features Ambassador Kurt Tong from The Asia Group, who provides a very insightful interview on his assessment of what the Busan Summit accomplished and what lies ahead.   For the time being, things are calmer, but the mid-term bilateral relationship continues to be contentious and challenging.

For our members and those who do business in China and Hong Kong with the US, the good news is that many breathe a sigh of relief that the volatility and uncertainty have somewhat abated, but the bad news is that the forecast continues to be rough.  Adjusting to this new reality is the task of every business, and trying to figure out the latest policies and implications has become the critical chore of almost every company.  Related to this, we are eagerly awaiting the results of our Business Sentiments Survey which has just been sent out to members.  Please take time to fill it out in the next few weeks so we can have a better sense of how you view the business situation.  This situation has changed a great deal since the last Survey 12 months ago, and the trade policy turbulence of 2026 is very much in play now.

As for AmCham HK itself, other than providing as much information as possible for members who are trying to survive in this turbulence, 400 of us also took time off to take our shoes off to go Waltzing in Wanchai at our annual Ball last month.  On Thanksgiving Day, we will have our traditional luncheon with HKSAR government officials to express appreciation for the support they give AmCham.  We will also have an AmCham Holiday Cheer Reception on December 3 featuring as our honored guest, new US Consul General Julie Eadeh, who will meet our members for the first time since she arrived this Fall.  Finally, let us look forward to our next Women of Influence award ceremony on March 13, to honor those who have just been nominated for nine WOI awards.

Please enjoy reading the stories in this issue, with Michael Yue the Managing Director of Google HK telling us the opportunities and challenges for this large US company in Hong Kong, and with other essays on the Chinese economy. China business, and Hong Kong life.

Happy Thanksgiving and have a joyous holiday season…..

Eden Woon
President
AmCham HK