Respect. Integrity. Cooperation. Mutual Benefit
About USHCA
United States Heartland China Association (USHCA) is a 501(c)3 bipartisan organization committed to building bridges and promoting opportunities between the peoples of the Heartland Region (21 states located in the USA between the Great Lakes to the Gulf) and the People’s Republic of China. We are funded by American sources including membership dues, Heartland community supporters, private donations, grants from private foundations, corporate sponsors, and contributions from state governmental agencies. As a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, USHCA does no lobbying.
Our Mission
To foster and support a positive, productive, and mutually beneficial relationship between the people of the United States and China by creating more channels of collaboration and opportunities for economic growth in the American Heartland Region.
Our History
The original organization was founded in 2004 as the Midwest U.S. – China Association by late U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III (IL); John Rogers, lawyer and professor; and Governor Bob Holden (MO), former Chairman of the Midwest Governors Association. Its region covered 12 Midwestern states originally. In 2018, it expanded to serve the 21 states from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and changed its name to the United States Heartland China Association. Even though the American Heartland Region is our focus, we work with communities throughout the United States where our programs can create value.
430 Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in 84 of the cities within the Heartland Region. Our mayors lead 37 of the 100 largest cities in the United States. Our national GDP ranks 1st in the world. Remove our region from this analysis and the European Union would rank 1st, China 2nd, United States 3rd.
The U.S. Heartland is the birthplace of many prominent governmental leaders. 15 past United States presidents either come from the Heartland Region, or have significant ties here. The leaders of the U.S. House and Senate as well as more than 30 cabinet members are from our region; and we are well represented in the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Governors Association.
The USHCA leadership has vast experience in both business and education that uniquely position the organization to forge deep and productive relationships between the people of the U.S. and China.