China expert Leland Miller announced as keynote speaker at FreightWaves’ Future of Freight Festival

FreightWaves has announced that Leland Miller, CEO of China Beige Book International, will deliver a keynote address at the upcoming Future of Freight Festival (F3) this November. The event, a premier gathering for freight and logistics leaders, promises to equip attendees with forward-looking strategies amid ongoing U.S.-China trade dynamics and supply chain volatilities.

The Future of Freight Festival, now in its fourth year, is FreightWaves’ flagship event designed to convene industry experts, entrepreneurs, and innovators to explore emerging trends in transportation, logistics. Scheduled for November 21-22, 2025 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, the festival will feature interactive sessions, technology demos, and networking opportunities focused on topics like market forecasts, sustainability, and digital transformation. This year’s theme emphasizes resilience in global supply chains, making Miller’s participation particularly poignant as professionals seek clarity on international economic shifts that ripple through domestic freight operations.

Leland Miller is widely regarded as a leading authority on China’s economy and financial system. As co-founder and CEO of China Beige Book (CBB), he has spent over a decade pioneering independent economic data collection in one of the world’s most opaque markets.

Before establishing CBB in 2010, Miller worked in capital markets attorney roles and studied international relations at prestigious institutions including the University of Virginia and Oxford University. His expertise extends to frequent media appearances on outlets such as CNBC, where he dissects U.S.-China trade relations and their broader implications.

Miller is also a sought-after speaker at high-profile conferences, often addressing audiences on China’s economic trajectories and policy impacts.

At the heart of Miller’s work is the China Beige Book, a groundbreaking data analytics platform modeled after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s Beige Book but tailored to China’s vast and complex economy.

Leland Miller, co-founder and CEO of China Beige Book.

Founded to address the unreliability of official Chinese government statistics, CBB employs a proprietary methodology involving quarterly surveys of thousands of firms across China’s provinces and sectors. This includes direct interviews with executives in manufacturing, retail, real estate, and services, capturing on-the-ground indicators like employment trends, investment levels, and credit conditions. Unlike state-released data, which can be politically influenced or delayed, CBB’s approach provides real-time, granular insights through a network of in-country analysts, ensuring independence and accuracy.

The platform aggregates this information into comprehensive reports, dashboards, and forecasts, helping clients anticipate shifts in economic activity.

This methodology has proven invaluable during turbulent periods, such as the COVID-19 disruptions and recent stimulus measures in China. For instance, CBB’s data has highlighted slowdowns in manufacturing output or surges in commodity demand well before official figures, enabling proactive decision-making.

Miller himself has noted in interviews that traditional metrics often mask underlying weaknesses, like the June 2025 economic “falloff in just about everything,” underscoring the need for alternative data sources.

For U.S. supply chain professionals, Miller’s insights are especially relevant amid escalating geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties. China remains the world’s manufacturing powerhouse, accounting for a significant portion of global exports that feed into U.S. ports, trucking networks, and warehouses. Economic fluctuations there—whether from policy changes, like potential tariffs under evolving U.S. administrations, or internal challenges like property sector woes—directly impact freight volumes, shipping rates, and inventory strategies.

Supply chain leaders have grappled with disruptions from events like the U.S.-China trade war, where CBB’s early warnings on export slowdowns helped firms diversify sourcing or adjust logistics plans.

In an era of nearshoring and resilience-building, understanding China’s economic health is critical for forecasting demand in sectors like electronics, automotive parts, and consumer goods. Miller’s keynote is expected to delve into how CBB’s data reveals vulnerabilities and opportunities, such as the effects of Beijing’s recent fiscal stimuli on global commodity flows.

“The U.S. needs to articulate clear goals in its China policy to avoid reactive supply chain chaos,” Miller recently stated on CNBC, highlighting the interplay between economics and trade.

Attendees at the Future of Freight Festival can anticipate Miller’s address to offer actionable intelligence, blending macroeconomic analysis with practical advice for freight executives. As global supply chains continue to evolve, this session underscores the festival’s role in fostering informed, strategic discussions.

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller expressed enthusiasm: “Leland’s expertise will illuminate how China’s economic signals shape our industry’s future, empowering professionals to navigate uncertainties with confidence.” With registrations now open, the event is poised to draw over 1,000 participants, solidifying its status as a must-attend for supply chain innovators.

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