Countywide : Lectures Planned on Pacific Rim Trade

The World Affairs Council of Ventura County this week will launch the first in a series of breakfast seminars examining trade opportunities in Pacific Rim countries.

On Friday, Chinese dissident Harry Wu is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the first breakfast meeting, to be held at the Spanish Hills County Club in Camarillo.

On Feb. 29, the breakfast will feature a panel of experts talking about international business opportunities in Taiwan.

Guest speakers will include Jui Hsiung Ouyang and Wayne Wu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and Dr. Jonathan Pollock with the Rand Corp.’s Center for Asia-Pacific Policy. The seminars, which are being co-sponsored by Wells Fargo’s Trade Bank, will begin at 7:30 a.m.

In the coming months, the World Affairs Council will hold similar seminars on South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and eventually Eastern European and South American countries.

Cindy Cooke, executive director of the World Trade Council, said the seminars are designed to educate and inform Ventura County business people about a wide range of emerging trade opportunites in the international market.

“They are basically looking at all of the growing economies all over the world,” Cooke said.

The cost of the breakfasts is $18 for the public but free for corporate and special members of the World Affairs Council. For reservations call 449-9953.