AmCham Shanghai was founded in 1915 as the third American Chamber of Commerce established outside the United States, and now has 3,000 members from 1,500 companies.
[1] Its membership ranges from large corporations to small startups and includes companies from diverse industries.
As a non-profit, non-partisan business organization, AmCham Shanghai promotes free trade, open markets, private enterprise and the unrestricted flow of information.
[3][4] The AmCham Shanghai Board of Governors[5] is responsible for the policymaking of the organization and the general direction of the Chamber's activities.
AmCham Shanghai publications[7] include Insight magazine, the annual China Business Report (CBR) and Viewpoint advocacy and policy documents.
AmCham also produce a bi-weekly podcast, “China Voices,” which covers a range of topics, including the economy, small business, trade and economic trends.
Each committee is advised by business leaders who identify key issues in their industries and drive year-round programming.
Services include professional development, visa programs, medical insurance and tax filing guidance, as well as access to a wide variety of events and publications.
The Chamber facilitates business support, market access, policy advocacy, and relationship-building activities.
The GPS Program provides members with the latest policy developments and insight into how these translate into commercial opportunities and challenges for companies.
The San Francisco office provides programming and support for American companies interested in China.
The Chamber moved into permanent offices in the Dollar Building on Canton Road and hired a full-time director.
It continued to publish a periodic newsletter called “The Fishbowl,” which reported on comings and goings within the business community.
In 2010, the organization took steps to normalize its legal status by creating a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) that allows the Chamber to accept online and electronic payments.