Jul 21 2011
Around D.C. – June, July
For the past several weeks I have been attending various events and meetings around Washington. In late June I attended a lecture at The Brookings Institute with special guest speaker Dr. Hu Angang. The lecture was entitled “China in 2020: A New Type of Superpower,” and discussed China’s rapid economic growth, the potential of China becoming the next world superpower, and implications for the rest of the world. The Brookings Institute is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC, and has remained an influential voice in policy making since 1927.
Adam and I also attended the 2011 BIO International Convention held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on M Street. The BIO International Convention is the largest global event for the biotechnology industry. It attracts the biggest names in biotech, offers key networking opportunities, and provides insights on the major trends affecting the industry. It was a very great experience, as I had never attended such a large, international convention before. Also, very informative.
Other than those two large-scale events, my time has remained allocated between the office and meetings with government and industry folk throughout Washington. One large piece of news regarding my work on Rare Earth Elements came out from the USTR on July 5th. The U.S. was successful in a case against China in the World Trade Organization entitled China – Raw Materials Exports. The WTO Panel report of the case has been very helpful in my understanding of WTO law regarding the GATT, China’s Accession Protocol, and rules regarding the imposition of export restraints.