Consider that about 500 of China’s who’s who gathered last weekend at a place called Sun Mountain Yabuli Resort, north of Beijing near the Russian border for the 10^th annual CEF, with a focus was on the global economic challenges and China’s role in the emergence of positive economic growth in the world. They were joined by only about 20 attendees from elsewhere in the world, including a handful from Wall Street.

As business leaders in the Seattle area learn more about CEF and its relations to making business connections in China, they may map a strategy for putting this region at the forefront of visibility at forthcoming events. CEF for the past five years has held a “summer summit” in addition to the annual forum.

Wyatt, founder of The Wyatt Group, says the range of China opportunities relates particularly to clean-technology companies, since China has, by some estimates, become the main recipient of venture-capital money in clean technology.

For those who may retain the sense that Chinese entrepreneurship is an oxymoron, Wyatt points out that the flow of venture capital is only one indication that China has become a hotbed of innovation.

“To the extent that China is talking about being a leader for clean energy, since our focus is being a center for clean technology, then we have good reason to build focused relationships particularly in that area,” said Bob Drewel, executive director of the four-county Puget Sound Regional Council.

David Allen, executive vice president of Seattle’s McKinstry & Co., which is just opening its innovation center where clean-tech and energy-related start-ups will be incubated and accelerated, says “absolutely” some of the companies McKinstry is working with will be seeking to sell to China.

Wyatt points out that there are two sides to the doing-business-with-China equation. One is attracting investment from China into U.S. companies and the other is creating opportunities to build supplier or customer relations there. And strategic partnerships are the key to seizing those opportunities, he adds. “And building trust is the key to both halves.”

“As for green technology, as new emerging trends are identified, the ability to form strategic partnerships and financing from China is increased,” he says.  “It will be necessary to identify what type of green technology garners the most interest and how different approaches to those types of technology are compatible with the Chinese systems and can be readily adopted.” 

One China expert recently wrote that the Chinese government is trying to address soaring healthcare costs by reducing pollution and is thus actively encouraging foreign investment, including spending $9 billion a month on clean-energy research.

Wyatt says a goal he has is to create some long-term investment relationships between venture capital firms in the Northwest and counterparts in China.

"The strategy would be to bring Chinese v.c. investments to U.S. companies,” Wyatt said. “It would add a level of interest for the Chinese companies if local v.c. firms were co-investing in the deals.”

With respect to clean tech, Wyatt explained that the Chinese “need to be able to implement environmental standards in an efficient way that doesn’t detract from their ability to continue their level of labor employment.”

 Wyatt said that since continued availability of laborer jobs for the vast population from the provinces is vital to China’s stability, partners will need to understand that China has no interest in efficiencies that eliminate those jobs.

I found that the most complete information on this conference, for which neither Google nor an online search of the New York Times turned up anything, was in a news release from Melco China Resorts Holdings, owner of the resort.

In addition to providing a rundown on the names and titles of many of the prominent attendees as well as the speakers, the release trumpeted a new agreement under whose terms “all future annual forums ‘on a permanent basis’ would be held at the Sun Mountain Yabuli Resort.”

The Melco news release offered evidence that the Chinese have learned a bit from the U.S. about marketing and promotion.

“Both Parties also agreed to establish a ‘CEF Founders Club’ that actively promotes Sun Mountain Yabuli's resort vacation homes for purchase by CEF members,” the release read, “ And CEF will work with its 5,000 member companies to select Yabuli as the site for their corporate meetings and retreats.”

Four Seasons, Hilton or Starwood couldn’t have done it better.

The annual China Entrepreneurs Forum (CEF) attracts hundreds of that nation's most influential entrepreneurs and business leaders, along with key government figures, but apparently has attracted little interest or direct involvement from the West, even from a China-focused area like Seattle.