CHICAGO (AP) - Caterpillar Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive James W. Owens has been named chairman of the Business Roundtable's international trade and investment task force.
Owens will lead the organization's initiatives to help U.S. businesses be more competitive in the global markets and promote U.S. trade and investment policies.
The Business Roundtable is a Washington, D.C., association of chief executives of 160 large U.S. companies.
Last week the association gave Congress and some administration officials recommendations on how the United States can address issues regarding the trade relationship between the United States and China.
Caterpillar is no stranger to China. It began selling products in China in 1975 and opened an office in Beijing in 1978. The Peoria, Ill.-based maker of construction and mining equipment and other related products has 13 production plants in China, including joint venture and wholly owned facilities.
In July Caterpillar reached an agreement to build a 350,000-square-foot wheel loader manufacturing facility in China. Construction is expected to begin early next year.