Former Ambassador Kurt Tong Briefs AmCham Leaders

When AmCham Taiwan conducts its Doorknock missions to Washington, D.C., Kurt Tong is the kind of expert on U.S. Asia policy that the delegation seeks out for advice on its dealings with the U.S. government. A former U.S. Ambassador to APEC and Counsel-General in Hong Kong, Tong is now in the private sector as a partner at The Asia Group, a Washington-based strategic advisory firm founded by Kurt Campbell, currently the Biden Administration’s top official for Asia.

In a “virtual Doorknock” necessitated by the COVID pandemic, Tong shared his views on U.S.-Taiwan relations via video conference with 18 members of the AmCham Board and staff on May 25. The topics covered included the Biden Administration’s priorities with regard to Asia policy, trade policy, and the protection of sophisticated technology supply chains. Tong encouraged the Chamber to be “forceful and direct” in communicating its advocacy agenda to the U.S. government, including the need for early resumption of the “TIFA talks” trade negotiations.