business
The Houston
Chapter of
China General
Chamber of
Commerce-USA
Written by Heidi Powell-Prera
We are here today with Shaolin Li, Chairman of the Houston Chapter of the
China General Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Li and the Chamber have been
active in Houston since 2005 assisting the businessmen of Houston to establish
business relationships with China. Under Mr. Li’s leadership this organization
has doubled in size and influence both here and abroad. Their services to Hous-
ton, the Chinese Community and businessmen in China have become invalu-
able in improving mutual understanding and building relationships.
Q: Please tell us how the Chamber has evolved since 2005 and some of your
stories about your work here.
A: I had already been working in the U.S. for 13 years. In 2005, I joined the
funding in New York for this Chamber. I was here on Day 1. Since I was already
working in the U.S., I was involved with the funding.
Q: In what field were you working?
A: I was assigned to work here as President of PetroChina International Amer-
ica, Inc. The company is involved with trading oil and gas, crude oil, refined
products and more. Some people got together and decided that we should start
our business in Jersey City, New Jersey. That was the first
place.
Q: That was a good place to start.
A: We had just started to trade. The company was regis-
tered, and the boss came into my office. He said that we
had received a new call about a new place, Houston. He
asked why don’t we place you there?
Q: What was the purpose in the minds of the people
who funded the Chamber?
A: Economy. Trading. As different countries were grow-
ing, and trade was growing, many businesses were sourc-
ing trading, marketing, manufacturing, investing, cover-
ing all fields of business. I thought what was needed was
a team to assist in communication, a kind of chamber.
We were struggling with the name of the organization.
We did funding, but there was a little debate on this. We
had to get American business and China talking.
52 iF Magazine | April 2018