By UNE Staff Reporter
Los Angeles—Global Merchants Union, which was officially unveiled today, hosted its first forum on international economic and trade forum in Los Angeles.
According to Loui Gu, the founder of Global Merchants Union, the union is formed to help the businesses in California improve their global impact, expand their operations in new settings, and conduct online and off-line upgrade and transformation via app platform.
The one-day forum, which drew a crowd of more than 200 local officials, business leaders, and community leaders, was paneled by Daniel K. Sieu, Project Director of MBDA Business Center Pasadena, U.S. Department of Commerce, Norman Arikawa, Assistant Director of Trade Development, Port of Los Angeles, Peggy Huang, city councilmember of Yorba Linda, Allen Wu, city councilmember of Walnut, and Cary C. Chen, board member of Rowland Unified School District.
“It is appropriate for this organization to be located in Los Angeles, for we are the number one gateway,” Arikawa said. “Los Angeles customs district is the largest in America. 40% of the trade through this gateway is China trade. For us China is very significant.”
The United States and China are attempting to hammer out a trade deal by March. Progress seems to be made as the two countries wrapped up a new round of negotiations last week in Beijing.
“We are all here at these very interesting times when the stars seem to lighting as you want to do business with China,” Sieu told the audience. “Hopefully, the door will open. And we will have a prosperous year for selling directly to China, and doing trade between the two countries.”
2019 marks the 40 years of diplomatic ties between the United States and China. Both countries have high expectations for this bilateral relationship, one of the most important one in modern diplomacy.
“President Nixon’s accomplishment in establishing the relationship with China really leads to today’s great event as we foster that relationship,” Huang Said. “This year the City of Yorba Linda, in conjunction with President Nixon’s Library, will be celebrating the 40 years of this historical relationship.”
