Dow CEO Liveris to Join Commerce Secretary Ross Trade Mission to China to Promote Mutually Beneficial Commercial Cooperation

Andrew Liveris, executive chairman of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), and chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, will join President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and a host of noted business leaders on a trade mission to China this week. The trade mission will promote commercial successes while seeking to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China through increasing exports of high-value U.S. goods and services to China and by improving access for U.S. manufacturers to China’s growing markets.

“Secretary Ross and the entire Trump Administration understand that it is in everyone’s interest to promote constructive engagement between China and the U.S. that focuses on removing the barriers to fair and reciprocal market access and ensuring that companies are competing on fair commercial terms,” said Liveris. “The U.S. and China have obviously grown into important partners in trade and other areas and I am encouraged and thankful for the opportunity to participate in the dialogue between these great countries.”

Dow entered the China market in the 1930s, and currently, China is Dow’s second largest overseas market. Dow also operates 10 business centers, 17 manufacturing sites and has nearly 5,000 employees across China.

“I was lucky to have a front-row seat thirty years ago when late leader Deng Xiaoping opened China to the world. And in the decades since, I have had the privilege of participating as China’s rise has transformed not only China, but the rest of the global economy,” said Liveris, who first traveled to China more than 40 years ago for one of his first jobs at Dow. “The U.S. and China have an unprecedented opportunity to quickly improve on the most critical commercial impediments to enhanced trade – investment restrictions, discriminatory regulatory practices, and inefficient licensing procedures, to name a few. Bilateral solutions to these issues will benefit both countries by creating jobs and economic value on both sides of the Pacific.”

During the trade mission, Liveris and Mobike founder and president Hu Weiwei will sign a memorandum of understanding to develop a suitable business model to deliver Dow’s high-quality products and solutions to Mobike products and projects via a long-term strategic partnership and cooperation on the product and market level. The collaboration seeks to develop lighter-weight and more environmentally-friendly Mobikes that will consistently provide an enhanced riding experience. Dow and Mobike are working closely to develop materials for Mobike’s bicycles which help reduce the weight, enhance durability and maximize the comfort for users. Dow and Mobike are currently working on materials solutions including polyurethane materials for tires, saddle materials, and electric lock seals, as well as other specialty elastomers, adhesives and coatings. The MOU will incentivize new U.S. exports as Dow supplies polyurethane and other products to Mobike’s development of next generation bicycles. Both companies will continue collaboration on developing better technologies and exploring new markets, including Mobike’s recent launch in Washington, D.C.