Dialogue on U.S.-China Infrastructure Cooperation
Event Report | March 27, 2017

On March 13, 2017, the EastWest Institute (EWI), in concert with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), convened the first ever conference on prospects for infrastructure cooperation between the United States and China. This conference, held in Beijing, brought together a U.S. delegation comprising investment and infrastructure experts—some of whom have advised the Trump administration on infrastructure—with Chinese counterparts from a number of private sector and state-owned enterprises. Discussion throughout the conference focused on the policy priorities of the Trump Administration; the Trump administration’s vision for the development of U.S. infrastructure; the current state of U.S.-China relations; and opportunities, challenges and recommendations for U.S.-China infrastructure cooperation.

While in Beijing, the U.S. delegation also met with senior representatives from the Communist Party of China and officials from a number of Chinese governmental ministries and agencies involved in infrastructure, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Commerce; the Ministry of Finance; and the National Development and Reform Commission. The delegation also met with officials from the Embassy of the United States in Beijing to share key outcomes from the meetings with Chinese officials. Throughout both the conference and official meetings, the delegates raised a number of proposals and recommendations for the Trump-Xi presidential summit at Mar-a-Lago in April.

The conference highlighted various opportunities for cooperation between the two countries, including Chinese investment in U.S. infrastructure projects and potential U.S.-China infrastructure cooperation in third-country (and especially emerging) markets. Participants from the two sides agreed that both the Trump administration’s prioritization of revitalizing U.S. infrastructure as well as the opportunities for Chinese investment in U.S. infrastructure create the potential for enhanced, mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.


Discussion session at CICIR.

Click here to download event report. 

Photos: From top, left to right

Anthony W. Parker (left) and Da Wei; Qian Liwei (left) and Norman F. Anderson; Wayne Silby (left) and Zhang Yuncheng; Yuan Peng (left) and David J. Firestein; Sun Chenghao, Ji Zhiye and Andrew Charlesworth and Norman F. Anderson; Daniel M. Slane (left) and IDCPC Vice Minister Guo Yezhou; Wayne Silby (left), Alan Wong and Bai Wei; Anthony W. Parker (left), David J. Firestein, Wayne Silby, Norman F. Anderson and Euhwa Tran; Andy Pan (left) and Andrew Charlesworth; Zhang Fang (left) and David J. Firestein; Yuan Peng (left), David J. Firestein and Andy Pan; Timothy P. Stratford (left), Fu Mengzi, Anthony W. Parker, Cui Liru and Norman F. Anderson; Anthony W. Parker (left), Timothy P. Stratford, Wayne Silby, Andrew Charlesworth and MFA Director General Cong Peiwu; Daniel M. Slane (left) and Wang Rongjun.

Photo credit: Aurelien Foucault