Charles Freeman

Freeman Chair in China studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Former Assistant USTR for China Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Travels from: Washington DC

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A key player in U.S.-China economic relations from his experiences as a Senate finance counsel, the chief U.S. trade negotiator with China following China’s accession to the WTO and as an advisor to businesses and governments on both sides of the Pacific, Charles Freeman uses hands-on insight and experience to illuminate issues of East Asia foreign policy and politics, of doing business globally, and of the challenge and potential of China rising as a global economic power.

Charles Freeman holds the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. Before joining CSIS, Mr. Freeman was managing director of The China Alliance of Independent Law Firms. He advised both Fortune 100 and small to medium-size enterprises on strategies to effectively manage the complexities of trade and investment between East Asia and North America.

A second-generation “old China hand,” he has a lifetime of experience in the U.S.-China relationship as a lawyer, venture capitalist, think-tank professional, government relations and communications expert, and government official focused on the U.S.-China economic relationship.

Between early 2002 and late 2005 Mr. Freeman served as the Assistant USTR for China Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and was a primary architect of United States trade policy with respect to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and Mongolia. He was a key official in the U.S. Administration’s efforts to secure the benefits of China’s World Trade Organization accession for American manufacturers, service providers, agricultural producers and their workers.

Earlier in his government career, Mr. Freeman was International Affairs Counsel in the U.S. Senate and worked for a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee. There, he was instrumental in efforts to pass Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. His tour in government followed years of non-governmental experience working with Chinese and other Asian government officials, first as the director of the International Herald Tribune’s Asian Economic Summit conference program, bringing multinational executives together with the most senior officials in China and other markets in Asia; and later as the director of economic programs in China for The Asia Foundation, during which he worked with a number of the officials most responsible for developing the reforms that were critical to China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. He began his professional career as a lawyer and venture capitalist engaged in investment into emerging markets.

Mr. Freeman has a B.A. degree in Asian studies from Tufts University and a J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

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