Respect. Integrity. Cooperation. Mutual Benefit
About USHCA
United States Heartland China Association (USHCA) is a 501(c)3 bipartisan organization committed to promoting a stable and productive U.S.-China relationship that serves the interests of our communities. Through people-to-people exchanges and substantive, issue-specific forums, we build bridges and promote opportunities between the peoples of the American Heartland Region and the People’s Republic of China so that:
- Our farmers can continue to expand exports to China.
- Our educational institutions can remain globally competitive and continue to attract the best talent from around the world, including China.
- Our community leaders have the platforms to better understand and engage with China.
- Our youth can have the opportunities to develop a global mindset through learning about China and its culture.
- Chinese Americans in our region can continue to contribute to the success of our country and feel that they belong.
- Businesses invested in the U.S. Heartland can create and maintain jobs and remain competitive in the global economy.
We are 100% funded by American sources including private foundations, trade associations, individual donors, and corporate sponsors. As a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, USHCA does not lobby.Â
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.