This September/October issue of the AmCham HK e-Magazine is published on the eve of the Summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping in Washington on September 24. It is not clear what results will come out of this visit, since difficult issues like Taiwan, Iran, de-risking, tariffs and investment policies, technology restrictions, rare earths, and Chinese purchases of American exports are all on the table. And now a new one, Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has arisen to be a formidable and likely long-lasting issue between the United States and China.
This is because global AI advancements are widely acknowledged to have been made by two dominant players, the US and China. The impact of this competition between them ranges from economics to national security, to global influence and the potential effect on the human race. Given the very uncertain bilateral relationship, it is difficult to imagine what progress can be made in this area when negotiations between both sides are just beginning. But at this Summit, both leaders will be trying to find a common ground. The cover story of this issue comprises three excellent articles on AI competition and the impending Washington Summit.
In addition to the Summit preview, the e-magazine is fortunate to feature Hong Kong-based Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman of Schneider Electric, a global giant in the energy sector which is at the forefront of AI applications, and which has a significant footprint in Asia.
As usual, the issue has a few other interesting articles, making it a most rewarding read. These include a profile of Hong Kong entrepreneur Steven Chan, who is using AI to make one of the world’s most popular note taking apps, advice from a veteran of the logistics industry on how to adjust to the new normal of supply chain disruption, and an opinion article by Ker Gibbs, a former President and Chairman of AmCham Shanghai, including an excerpt from his recent book, The Fragile Dragon. There is also an account of the American tutor to China’s last empress, from a forthcoming book by Paul French, and our report on AmCham HK’s most recent Doorknock to Beijing in early September.
We hope our members can take a break from such weighty matters by attending our exciting HOLLYWOOD NOIR-themed Annual Ball on October 31. See you there!
Eden Woon