Tim Stratford is Chairman at AmCham China and Managing Partner in Covington & Burling LLP’s Beijing office and a member of the International Trade, Corporate and Government Affairs Practice Groups. Mr. Stratford’s practice is focused on advising international clients doing business in China and assisting Chinese companies seeking to expand their businesses globally. As a former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Mr. Stratford is the most senior former U.S. trade official working as a member of the U.S. business community in China. Except for the five years he spent in Washington, D.C. in government service (2005-2010), Mr. Stratford has lived and worked continuously in the greater China region since 1982.

While at USTR, Mr. Stratford was responsible for developing and implementing U.S. trade policy toward mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Mongolia. He worked closely with other senior U.S. and Chinese officials from numerous government departments and agencies to address problems encountered by companies engaged in bilateral trade and investment and co-chaired a number of important bilateral working groups and dialogues established under the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade and the U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue.

Prior to serving at USTR, Mr. Stratford was General Counsel for General Motors’ China operations, where he was a member of GM’s senior management team in China and oversaw the company’s legal and trade policy work. Mr. Stratford also served previously as Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and as Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Brigham Young University, and is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese.

One of the central figures in the effort of advocating on behalf of approximately 200 American companies that do business with China, Craig Allen has led the US-China Business Council (USCBC) in constructing strong, mutually beneficial commercial relationships with China.

Craig Allen began his tenure in Washington, DC, on July 26, 2018 as the sixth President of USCBC. Prior to overseeing USCBC in representing over 200 American companies doing business with China, Craig had a long, distinguished career in US public service.

Craig began his government career in 1985 at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA). He entered government as a Presidential Management Intern, rotating through the four branches of ITA. From 1986 to 1988, he was an international economist in ITA’s China Office. In 1988, Craig transferred to the American Institute in Taiwan, where he served as Director of the American Trade Center in Taipei. He held this position until 1992, when he returned to the Department of Commerce for a three-year posting at the US Embassy in Beijing as Commercial Attaché. He also served at the US Embassy in Tokyo in 1995 as a Commercial Attaché. In 1998, he was promoted to Deputy Senior Commercial Officer. In 1999, Craig became a member of the Senior Foreign Service.

From 2000, Craig served a two-year tour at the National Center for APEC in Seattle. While there, he worked on the APEC Summits in Brunei, China, and Mexico. In 2002, Craig was back in Beijing, where he served as the Senior Commercial Officer. In Beijing, Craig was promoted to the Minister Counselor rank of the Senior Foreign Service.

Christopher is a China market veteran, who has lived in Beijing since 1994.

Since joining USITO in March 2016, Christopher has spearheaded public policy advocacy in China, representing 50 of the leading US and European ICT companies and five U.S headquartered ICT trade associations.

Christopher has positioned USITO as the authoritative voice of the global ICT industry in China and a force multiplier for companies seeking to deploy technologies and disrupt in this critical market. Christopher has in-depth working knowledge of China’s policy environment and US-China bilateral trade relations. He leads USITO’s engagement with government agencies, and maintains close partnerships with senior government officials, think tanks and academic institutions. He has specific expertise in cybersecurity, telecoms and cloud computing policies, internet governance, ICT standards, intellectual property, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and industrial policies.

Christopher is a seasoned consultant and team leader, with experience across government relations, IPR, market entry and access, M&A, media and corporate communications, brand strategy, digital and social media, sales and distribution and crisis management.

Prior to joining USITO, Christopher has worked with local, regional and national government bodies, academic and research institutes, NGO’s and media outlets throughout the region. He has managed complex assignments involving customer complaints and litigation, IPR disputes, joint venture establishment, environmental protection and labor disputes, with the highest levels of government including the Supreme Court, SAIC, MOST and the NDRC.

Christopher has also counseled corporations on China market development strategies, helping them develop competitive brand advantage. He has advised large multinationals such as Procter & Gamble, Honeywell, Bayer AG and IBM and specialist niche players, including NGO’s and Internet businesses. Christopher’s long tenure “on-the-ground” in China has helped him develop a uniquely accurate and compelling perspective on Chinese customers and stakeholders.

Christopher holds a BA from Columbia University and has conducted post-graduate research at the University of Hawaii and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He has been recognized by CIPRA for his work in the field of public relations in China. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English and has served as a guest lecturer at Beijing University and Tsinghua University.