Hank Paulson met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on October 20 at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, where they discussed efforts to conclude U.S.-China negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT).
Paulson noted progress in the Chinese willingness to adopt a “negative list” approach, meaning that exclusions from the treaty are narrowed to a list of specific categories. Both Li and Paulson underscored the importance of trade and investment liberalization.
During his trip to Beijing, Paulson co-hosted a conference on the conservation of coastal wetlands with the Hebei government and the State Forestry Administration. Paulson also led the annual CEO Council for Sustainable Urbanization meeting, bringing together top American and Chinese CEOs to plan collaborative projects to model sustainable business practices. Paulson and several CEOs also met with Vice Premier Wang Yang to discuss U.S.-China business and investment.
The Beijing visit followed a stopover in Hong Kong, where Paulson launched the Chinese-language edition of his book, Dealing with China, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in a conversation before a crowd of nearly 1,000.
Paulson and his wife Wendy also went birding at Hong Kong’s Mai Po Nature Reserve, which is a model for world-class conservation practices.