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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20231202T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20231202T150000
DTSTAMP:20231116T233559Z
CREATED:20231115T182254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231116T233559Z
UID:13578-1701522000-1701529200@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:China Townhall
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a captivating China Town Hall event cohosted by the World Affairs Council of Austin and San Antonio\, set to take place on December 2nd at Texas State University. Immerse yourself in an afternoon of insightful discussions and engaging presentations by well-accomplished industry experts and scholars who bring a wealth of knowledge about China’s dynamic landscape. After the China Town Hall\, we invite you to join us for a post-event social at the local Ivar’s River Pub. \nChina Town Hall Details: \nDate: December 2nd\, 1 pm-3 pm \nLocation: Texas State University\, McCoy College of Business- Room 125 \n601 University Dr\, San Marcos\, TX 78666 \nPost-Town Hall Social: \nContinue the conversation and networking at Ivar’s River Pub for a post-town hall social. Share your thoughts\, connect with fellow attendees\, and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere by the river. \nDate: December 2nd\, 3 pm \nLocation: Ivar’s River Pub – 701 Cheatham St\, San Marcos\, TX 78666 \n \nSpeakers Include: \nJustin Payne: VP of Frost Bank in San Marcos & Board Chair of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. \nNicholas Burns: Ambassador Burns has had a distinguished career in American diplomacy\, serving six U.S. Presidents and nine Secretaries of State over 27 years. His State Department roles include the State Department’s third-ranking official and most senior career diplomat\, U.S. Ambassador to NATO\, U.S. Ambassador to Greece\, and State Department spokesman. Before that\, he worked at the National Security Council at the White House\, where he served as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia\, Ukraine\, and Eurasia Affairs and as Director for Soviet Affairs for President George H.W. Bush during the collapse of the USSR. \n[Ambassador Burns will not be present\, but will offer opening remarks via a pre-recorded message] \nTyler Johnson: Founder of Laowai Enterprises & Global Fortune 50 Executive\, shares his wealth of experience from years spent in Shanghai\, China\, while working for Dell Technologies. He led sales and operational organizations for Dell within China and across Asia\, and his organization was responsible for Dell’s Global Asia Business Unit\, which represented the largest companies in the world (Global Fortune 500). \nGina Tam\, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Modern Chinese History and co-director of Women and Gender Studies at Trinity University in San Antonio\, Texas. She is also a Public Intellectual Fellow at the National Committee on US-China Relations\, a Wilson Center China Fellow\, and the Book Review Editor for the Journal of Asian Studies. She completed her Ph.D. in modern Chinese history at Stanford University in 2016. \nXiaobo Lü\, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Lü’s research focuses on how fiscal policies are distributed in authoritarian regimes\, with a particular emphasis on China. In 2011\, Dr. Lü earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University. Currently\, he is engaged in several paper projects concentrating on the correlation between fiscal extraction and state-society relations\, as well as a book project focused on party building in authoritarian regimes. \nLiza L.S. Mark: Partner\, Chief Representative and Shanghai Office Managing Partner. With over two decades of legal expertise across the U.S.\, Hong Kong\, and Shanghai\, her key figures lie in private equity\, securities\, and cross-border M&A. Her proficiency lies in advising private equity clients on international investments\, skillfully navigating legal complexities across jurisdictions. Liza is well-versed in diverse financing transactions\, including SPAC acquisitions\, PIPEs\, and Hong Kong IPOs. Her sought-after counsel extends to foreign private issuers for U.S. and Hong Kong securities offerings\, coupled with strategic insights into corporate governance and compliance. \n \n 
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/china-townhall-event/
LOCATION:Texas State University\, San Marcos\, TX\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Geopolitics,Member Social
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240312T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240312T203000
DTSTAMP:20240126T172818Z
CREATED:20240126T172420Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240126T172818Z
UID:13723-1710250200-1710275400@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Asia x Austin International Market Summit
DESCRIPTION:Explore exciting business opportunities between Central Texas and some of Asia’s most dynamic and innovative markets.\nExperience the two-way highway of opportunity between Asia and the Greater Austin region. \nLearn what’s next in AI\, blockchain\, the Metaverse\, clean energy\, and more. \nPlug into the startup landscapes in Asia and Central Texas. \nMeet the leaders forging new\, bilateral business ecosystems. \n \nAgenda\nSchedule and details are subject to change. \n1:30 pm: Check-in\, Refreshments\, and Networking \n2:00 pm: Welcome Session\n– Regional Governments Welcome\n– Central Texas Asian Population Landscape & Economic Impact\n– Central Texas Economic Outlook & Forecast \n2:30 pm: Business in Central Texas & Austin\n– Business Opportunities in Central Texas\n– Regional Development Partners Introduction\n– Talent Ecosystem & Workforce Development \n3:00 pm: Asian Markets Briefings\nConnect directly with economic and business leaders from Asia’s most powerful markets:\n– Singapore\n– Hong Kong\n– Malaysia\n– Korea\n– India\n– Indonesia\n(tentative lineup) \n4:30 pm: Asia x Austin Innovation Ecosystem \n– Asian Startup Pitch Sessions\n– Greater Austin’s Startup Landscape (introducing local investors\, VCs\, incubators\, etc.) \n6:30 pm: Networking Party
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/asia-x-austin-international-market-summit/
LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 West Cesar Chavez Street\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Austin Center for Global Trade,Global Trade
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240402T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240402T190000
DTSTAMP:20240319T222800Z
CREATED:20240215T030402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240319T222800Z
UID:13422-1712079000-1712084400@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Afghanistan: Where are we now and what’s next?
DESCRIPTION:In 2021\, the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. What followed was a period of turmoil\, as they turned on those who were in the Administration of President Ashraf Ghani or supported it. Then\, there was the diaspora of those associated with the Americans in any capacity. Rangina Hamidi\, who served as the first female Minister of Education for the country in 30 years\, was among those who were forced to flee. Please join us as she provides an update on the status/situation in Afghanistan in 2024. Ms. Hamidi will also provide her insights as to what the future holds for the Taliban regime and Afghanistan. \n\n\n\n\nRangina Hamidi\nRangina Hamidi is an Afghan American writer\, educator\, social entrepreneur\, and politician who served as Afghanistan’s minister of education until August 2021. She was the first cabinet-level\, female minister of education to hold that position in thirty years. Ms. Hamidi works tirelessly to advocate for women’s rights by empowering girls and women through social entrepreneurship and other initiatives to build their lives. \nShe earned a BA with a double major in religious studies and gender studies at the University of Virginia. She later completed an MA in Global Affairs and Management at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. Ms. Hamidi is currently a professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University\, Phoenix\, Arizona  \nShe has contributed to numerous publications and radio programs\, including TIMES Asia Magazine\, The Globe and Mail\, Der Spiegel\, Business Week\, The New York Times\, The Guardian\, The Telegraph\, NPR\, BBC\, and Voice of America. Ms. Hamidi has co-authored “Embroidering within Boundaries: Afghan Women Creating a Future\,” which takes the reader on a pictorial journey into her own life and tells the stories of the courageous Afghan women she serves.
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/afghanistan-where-are-we-now-and-whats-next/
LOCATION:Neill-Cochran House Museum\, 2310 San Gabriel Street\, Austin\, TX\, 78705\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,author,peace and conflict,Women Empowerment
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240718T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240718T190000
DTSTAMP:20240707T205251Z
CREATED:20240705T221132Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240707T205251Z
UID:14065-1721323800-1721329200@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:South Korea on the World’s Stage
DESCRIPTION:On June 4th and 5th South Korea held its first ever Korea-Africa Summit. They hosted representatives from 48 African nations\, including 25 heads of state. South Korea would like to expand its geopolitical influence and forge deeper global partnerships throughout the world. What does this new global perspective mean as it relates to Putin’s recent visit to North Korea\, the role of China\, working with Japan\, the Philippines and Asia-Pacific region? Now South Korea hopes to play a role in Africa and even the Middle East. Finally\, what about their politics internally? How do the Koreans themselves see their new role in the world and even their neighbors\, near and far? \nPlease join us at the Neill Cochran Historical House Museum on Thursday\, July 18 th \, 5:30 p.m.\nfor a wine and cheese “social” followed by a joint presentation by two excellent scholars in this field: Rodger Baker and Dr. Jooyoun Lee. \n  \n \nRODGER BAKER \nExecutive Director\, Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics \nRodger Baker has spent more than two decades with Stratfor/RANE\, where he’s focused on the Indo-Pacific region\, with special attention to China and the Korean Peninsula. He addresses the strategic dynamics of an evolving world system — looking at great power competition\, the role of middle powers\, and the impacts of technological\, environmental\, and demographic changes on geopolitical relationships. His core emphasis is the multidisciplinary approach to geopolitics and the evolution of international relations to develop mid- and long-term forecasts to assist companies\, governments\, and other globally engaged organizations make informed decisions. \nRodger is a Senior Fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations\, a Steering Fellow for the Mackinder Forum\, and teaches a certificate program in Geopolitical Analysis at Florida Atlantic University. \nDR. JOOYOUN LEE \nDr. Lee is a Professor of Global Studies and Political Science at St. Edwards University\, where she teaches Global Issues\, International Relations\, International Security and Conflict Resolution. Her research interests include identity politics\, collective memory\, East Asian international relations\, international security\, gender\, and popular culture. Prior to undertaking her Ph.D. at Syracuse University\, she worked as a research fellow at the Korean Institute for Women and Politics and at the Institute of Civil Society and New Governance at Kyung Hee University in South Korea as well as serving as a program coordinator for the International NGOs conference held in Seoul in cooperation with the United Nations.
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/south-korea-on-the-worlds-stage/
LOCATION:Neill-Cochran House Museum\, 2310 San Gabriel Street\, Austin\, TX\, 78705\, United States
CATEGORIES:Africa,Americas,Asia,Geopolitics,Middle East
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240725T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240725T193000
DTSTAMP:20240707T173132Z
CREATED:20240705T224838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240707T173132Z
UID:14019-1721932200-1721935800@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Globalist Coffeehouse: South Korea Follow-up Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Join  us at the Globalist Coffeehouse on Thursday\, July 25th\, 6:30 p.m. at the Shoal Creek Saloon on North Lamar. The topic will be on South Korea. This will be a follow-up discussion to a program on July 18th with two top scholars in this field.  Please go to the link below and register. I hope you can attend both events. \n \nFor more details contact: \nEllen Murry\, Co-chair\, of the Globalist Coffeehouse: ellen.murry@yahoo.com \nPolina Anastassieva\, Co-chair\, of the Globalist Coffeehouse: polina@wacaustin.org
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/globalist-coffeehouse-south-korea-follow-on-discussion/
LOCATION:Shoal Creek Saloon\, 909 N. Lamar Blvd\, Austin\, TX\, 78703\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Geopolitics,Member Social
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240922T160000
DTSTAMP:20240925T235557Z
CREATED:20240407T232940Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240925T235557Z
UID:13965-1727002800-1727020800@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Japan Business Seminar During Oita Festival
DESCRIPTION:The World Affairs Council of Austin is once again a partner organization for the annual Oita Japan Festival!   You won’t want to miss the “Doing Business in Japan” seminar. \nTexas exports over $6 billion in goods and services to Japan.  Japan is also a top five export market for central Texas companies.  Be sure to attend this informative session to learn more from our friends at Q-Branch\, JETRO-Houston\, and the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce. \nThe business-focused session will include an overview of Japan’s industry sectors including a look at the Japanese corporate presence in the U.S.\, Japanese cultural characteristics\, promising sectors for U.S. goods and services\, and resources for American companies wishing to establish a corporate entity in Japan. \nREGISTER HERE!\n 
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/japan-business-seminar-during-oita-festival/
LOCATION:Long Center for the Performing Arts\, 701 W. Riverside Drive\, Austin\, TX\, 78704\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Austin Center for Global Trade,Business,Global Trade
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250311T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250311T210000
DTSTAMP:20250308T174541Z
CREATED:20241214T192310Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250308T174541Z
UID:14299-1741694400-1741726800@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Asia x Austin International Market Summit
DESCRIPTION:The Asia x Austin International Market Summit returns for 2025! \nIn “Asian Market Briefings” we’ll hear from international trade experts and country representatives about business and investment opportunities in some of Asia’s most dynamic and robust markets. Hong Kong\, Japan\, Malaysia and India. \nEvent Launch Agenda: \n12:00 | Registration\n12:30 | GAACC Welcome & Summit Sponsors\n12:45 | Regional Economic Ecosystem\n12:50 | Why Austin\n1:00 | Central Texas Cities\n1:30 | Asian Markets Briefings\n2:30 | Closing Remarks \n  \nDETAILS for Full Day AND RSVP HERE
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/asia-x-austin-international-market-summit-2/
LOCATION:Austin Central Library\, 710 West Cesar Chavez Street\, Austin\, TX\, 78701\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Business,Global Trade
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20250920T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250920T180000
DTSTAMP:20250705T161437Z
CREATED:20250508T231219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250705T161437Z
UID:14499-1758369600-1758391200@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Japan Business Seminar during Oita Festival
DESCRIPTION:The World Affairs Council of Austin is once again a partner organization for the annual Oita Japan Festival!   You won’t want to miss the “Doing Business in Japan” seminar from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm in Gallery 701. \nTexas exports over $6 billion in goods and services to Japan.  Japan is also a top five export market for central Texas companies.  Be sure to attend this informative session to learn more from our friends at Q-Branch\, JETRO-Houston\, and the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce. \nThe business-focused session will include an overview of Japan’s industry sectors including a look at the Japanese corporate presence in the U.S.\, Japanese cultural characteristics\, promising sectors for U.S. goods and services\, and resources for American companies wishing to establish a corporate entity in Japan.
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/japan-business-seminar-during-oita-festival-2/
LOCATION:Long Center for the Performing Arts\, 701 W. Riverside Drive\, Austin\, TX\, 78704\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Austin Center for Global Trade,Business,Global Trade
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260113T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260113T190000
DTSTAMP:20251220T205814Z
CREATED:20251219T204142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251220T205814Z
UID:14757-1768325400-1768330800@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:America’s Changing Strategic Assumptions about China: Implications for the Bilateral Relationship
DESCRIPTION:In his talk\, David Firestein will examine how key U.S. assumptions about China and strategic aspirations and intentions have changed over the last ten to fifteen years and analyze and assess the impact of these shifts on U.S. policy choices and policy performance. \nThis event is by invitation-only. Please notify us of your interest to receive an invitation by providing your contact information in the form below. Priority registration is available for World Affairs Council of Austin members. Bring your invitation to the event.  Invitations are non-transferable. \n  \nREQUEST YOUR INVITATION HERE\n  \nDavid J. Firestein is the inaugural president and CEO of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations (Bush China Foundation) and a founding and current member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. \nBefore joining the Bush China Foundation\, Mr. Firestein was the founding executive director of The University of Texas at Austin’s (UT) China Public Policy Center (CPPC) and a clinical professor at UT’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. \nA decorated career U.S. diplomat from 1992–2010\, Mr. Firestein specialized primarily in U.S.-China relations\, posted in both Beijing\, China\, and Moscow\, Russia. Mr. Firestein is the author or co-author of three books on China\, including two China-published Chinese-language best-sellers\, as well as numerous China-focused monographs\, policy reports\, and articles. 
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/americas-changing-strategic-assumptions-about-china-implications-for-the-bilateral-relationship/
LOCATION:TX
CATEGORIES:Asia,Business,Geopolitics
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T200000
DTSTAMP:20260129T223445Z
CREATED:20260118T003227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T223445Z
UID:14808-1770229800-1770235200@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Globalist Coffeehouse: China in the First Decades of the 21st Century
DESCRIPTION:NEW DATE:  February 4th \nIn the decades to come\, what will China’s role be in the global world order? The relationship with the U.S. has been one of competition but also cooperation on certain global issues\, such as climate change. Still\, it is said that the “Belt and Road Initiative” might become the “Belt and World Initiative” as they move into the vacuum the U.S. has created\, from Africa to Asia and the Indian subcontinent. And finally\, how will our traditional allies view their relationship with China? \nPlease join us for what will be a discussion that will dominate global interests for years\, if not decades\, to come. \nREGISTER HERE\n 
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/globalist-coffeehouse-china-first-decades/
LOCATION:5280 Burger and Taphouse\, 7032 Wood Hollow Dr\, Austin\, TX\, 78731\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Geopolitics,Member Social
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260210T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260210T190000
DTSTAMP:20251219T211458Z
CREATED:20251219T211458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251219T211458Z
UID:14773-1770746400-1770750000@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:WorldNow: The Great Firewall with Yi-Ling Liu
DESCRIPTION:Journalist Yi-Ling Liu takes us behind the Great Firewall to the reality of 30 years of surveillance and censorship on the Chinese Internet.\n\n\n\nThirty years ago\, the world began to discover the power of the Internet: a digital world and resource to connect\, share ideas\, learn\, and earn. While the rest of the world connected\, the Chinese government began creating a system of strict surveillance and censorship on its internet – now known as the Great Firewall. \nToday\, as the country’s leadership intensifies its control of public discourse and Western headlines reduce the Chinese public to a faceless monolith\, what is the true online and on-the ground reality for Chinese citizens? \nJoin us February 10th on WorldNow as author and journalist Yi-Ling Liu tells the untold story of the Chinese internet. Hear how Chinese citizens have navigated the last 30 years of surveillance and censorship while searching for freedom and connection – behind the Great Firewall. \n\n\nREGISTER HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet by Yi-Ling Liu\nAn eye-opening exploration of the Chinese internet that reveals the intricate dance between freedom and control in contemporary China \nIn the late 1990s\, as the world was waking up to the power and emancipatory promise of the internet\, Chinese authorities began constructing a system of online surveillance and censorship now known as the Great Firewall. But far from being a barren landscape\, the digital world that sprouted up behind the firewall brimmed with new subcultures and tech innovations\, offering many Chinese citizens previously unimaginable connection and opportunity. \nToday\, as the country’s leadership intensifies its control of public discourse and Western headlines reduce the Chinese public to a faceless monolith\, journalist Yi-Ling Liu presents an intimate portrait of China’s online ecosystem—and a crucial lens into the on-the-ground reality of life there. Tracing the last three decades of the Chinese internet’s evolution—from its lexicon to its memes to the precise nature of its censorship—she equips readers with a critical tool to assess the past\, present\, and future of a global power. \nDrawing on years of firsthand reporting\, The Wall Dancers weaves together the stories of individuals navigating China’s transformation into both the world’s largest online user base and one of its most populous authoritarian states. As these entrepreneurs\, activists\, artists\, and dreamers experience the internet’s power as a tool for both control and liberation\, they grapple with universal questions of success and authenticity\, love and solidarity\, faith and resilience. \nThe Wall Dancers is at once an unforgettable work of human storytelling and a vital exploration of what it means to live with dignity and hope within the technological systems that now shape all our lives. \nPre-order a copy of The Wall Dancers\, coming February 3rd\, 2026.
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/worldnow-the-great-firewall-with-yi-ling-liu/
LOCATION:ONLINE
CATEGORIES:Asia,author
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T210000
DTSTAMP:20260210T034716Z
CREATED:20251219T223820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260210T034716Z
UID:14777-1773748800-1773781200@wacaustin.org
SUMMARY:Asia x Austin International Summit at SXSW
DESCRIPTION:The Asia x Austin International Summit returns in 2026! \nAttendees will hear from international trade experts and country representatives about business and investment opportunities in some of Asia’s most dynamic and robust markets. \nAgenda At-A-Glance\nExplore expanded session details below. \nVENUE: KODOSKY DONOR LOUNGE (12 – 9 pm)\n12:00 – 1:45 pm\n[session info]Why Asia?:\nThe Central Texas Connection \n1:45 – 2:00 pmNetworking Break \n2:00 – 3:15 pm\n[session info]Development @ Asia x Austin:\nThe Heart of the Texas Triangle \n3:15 – 3:30Networking Break \n3:30 – 6:00 pm\n[session info]Technology @ Asia x Austin:\nRobots\, Chips & Rockets \n6:00-6:30 pmNetworking Break \n6:30 – 9:00 pm\n[session info]Asia x Austin After Dark:\nCinema\, Soul & Sound \nVENUE: 701 GALLERY (2 – 6:45 pm)\n2:00 – 3:15 pm\n[session info]Markets @ Asia x Austin:\nThe Trade & Investment Connection \n3:15 – 3:30 pmNetworking Break \n3:30 – 5:30 pm\n[session info]Startups @ Asia x Austin:\nBorn Global! \n\n\n\n5:30 – 6:45 pm\n[session info]\nCreators @ Asia x Austin:\nGet Noticed!\n\n\n\nMORE DETAILS HERE
URL:https://wacaustin.org/event/asia-x-austin-international-summit-at-sxsw/
LOCATION:Long Center for the Performing Arts\, 701 W. Riverside Drive\, Austin\, TX\, 78704\, United States
CATEGORIES:Asia,Business,Global Trade
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END:VEVENT
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