Following the success of the AHEC 15th SEA & GRCH Convention in 2010 in Chengdu, it is my pleasure to announce that AHEC 16th SEA & GRCH Convention is scheduled on June 29, 2011 in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. I would like to welcome you to the convention.

China's economy, for the past 10 year has been heavily reliant on exports and in the past few years, we have seen a gradual change from export and import to domestic consumption. Since 2009, the domestic consumption has led the recovery from the global economic meltdown. The growing demand of China's domestic market has complemented the overseas weak export markets. Since 2006 China has ranked number one for importing US hardwoods.

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu and neighbors other developed cities such as Nantong, Wuxi, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Changzhou. Transportation is convenient which only takes less than 90 minutes by high speed train from Shanghai.

Nanjing Forestry University, one of the best and famed forestry universities in China, educates thousands of graduates in the forest product processing industry. In addition, the School of Architecture of Southeast University has trained thousands of architects who have contributed their talent in developing a more modern China. Nanjing Forestry University had established the College of Art & Design and the College of Landscape Architecture, training thousands of outstanding designers and landscape architects to cope with the booming property development market in China, especially in the Yangtze River Delta.

AHEC is grateful for the strong support from the trade and design industries, associations and communities in Jiangsu. Supporting organizers will include the Jiangsu Furniture Trade Association, Jiangsu Institute of Interior Design, China Institute of Interior Design (CIID) Nanjing and CIID Beijing. Other associations supporting this convention will include those from timber, furniture and flooring in Shanghai, Zhejiang and cities of the Yangtze River Delta. AHEC will also be grateful for continuous support from trade and design associations and industries as well as media from China and Southeast Asia.

I would like to thank the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) of the USA in Shanghai, US hardwood industry and AHEC members for their support. It is expected that over 35 AHEC member companies from the USA or their representatives from China will travel to Nanjing to meet with the local timber traders and users.

The convention themed "US Hardwoods: Substance and Style" in Nanjing features a strong panel of seven keynote speakers including forestry experts from Virginia and Wisconsin, furniture designer, interior designers and architects from the USA and Hong Kong; There will be also six breakout session speakers from Jiangsu, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Last but not least I would like to thank all the audiences and participants from the design and manufacturing industries to attend the convention and I wish you all have the fruitful convention and make new business partnership.

John Chan, Regional Director, American Hardwood Export Council Southeast Asia & Greater China