Khine Zaw Arthur, President & CEO, Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia

In an interview with Invest:, Khine Zaw Arthur, president and CEO of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, discussed expanding opportunities, overcoming market uncertainty, and advocating for better access and visibility. “Our No. 1 goal is business retention.”

What changes over the past year have most influenced how the chamber supports Asian-owned businesses in Greater Philadelphia?
The past year has been exciting, particularly with the new administration coming in. There’s a lot of anxiety, but at the same time, there’s optimism in our business community, especially when it comes to investment. Many are looking at what it would take to invest more, not just in Philadelphia but across Greater Philadelphia, because the demographic is expanding and there are so many opportunities.

With events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the WNBA coming to Philadelphia, we have exciting developments ahead. Our hospitality and food and beverage industries are already expanding their restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and they are looking for ways to reach new clients and market their products and services.

The chamber has been very busy. With the new administration, we’re receiving more inquiries from overseas investors, businesses from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia, for example, about what it would look like to purchase commercial buildings or launch biomedical, pharmaceutical, production, and manufacturing companies in the United States. We’re working with partners like the Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association to gather the data these investors need to seriously consider Philadelphia.

How would you describe the business climate for Asian-owned businesses?
It has been very challenging. It’s so fluid, especially in real estate, with questions about whether interest rates will come down or stay the same.

For the Asian American business community, many are multigenerational homebuyers who live in multigenerational households. So, what does this market mean for them and their next generation? These are very interesting times indeed.

What do Asian-owned businesses need most right now to grow and thrive?
Asian-owned businesses, like many small businesses, thrive on predictability. Right now, there’s a lot of anxiety in the market. To feel more optimistic, our community needs more stability and the ability to forecast at least the next six months.

Small businesses want to know whether they’ll be able to access more loans from banks to hire more people. Immigration issues also have a big impact. Nearly every Asian-owned business we work with hires immigrants, whether they’re documented or undocumented, and this affects everyone, especially businesses in food and beverage or construction, where many workers are daily wage earners or not full-time employees.

So, while there’s optimism about attracting more international businesses to invest in the United States, particularly as companies look to move operations here in light of tariffs, we still need market stability to make accurate projections about how well businesses will perform in the next six months.

What are members telling you they need most, whether it’s capital, resources, or connections?
First and foremost, visibility for Asian American businesses is critical so they have a fair chance to compete for federal, state, and local contracting opportunities. Supplier diversity has become more challenging. In the past, there was more information about when to bid on upcoming contracts, but now it’s harder to access that information.

Although our chamber has existed for nearly 20 years, long before diversity, equity, and inclusion were popular concepts, these issues now affect everyone who is considered a minority. Many of our businesses hold minority- or women-owned certifications, but they still struggle to get the information they need just to start bidding.

Access to information comes first, and then access to capital. Members want to know what they’re missing to be considered eligible for major projects. Our businesses are resilient and make things work despite a lack of information or access. But when it comes to scaling up and creating generational wealth, these barriers hold them back.

We’re doing everything possible to advocate at the federal, state, and local levels, working with senators, council members, and officials in Harrisburg and Montgomery County, to get the information our members need so they’re ready when opportunities arise.

Where do you see the greatest potential for partnerships?
There is huge potential. Our businesses represent so many different industries. The resilience in our culture and upbringing gives other businesses confidence that when they work with Asian-owned businesses, the job will get done right.

Our membership continues to grow despite challenges. That shows the character of Asian American businesses. So, for anyone looking to connect with Asian-owned companies or explore contracting opportunities, there is significant opportunity.

What does Philadelphia’s Chinatown mean to the community, culturally and economically?

Chinatowns have always been a landmark for almost every Asian. I’m Burmese, not Chinese, but wherever I go to Houston, Chicago, New York City, or Minneapolis, I look for Chinatown. It creates a sense of connection and calm through cultural preservation.

Philadelphia’s Chinatown is the most walkable Chinatown in the country. Anyone who hasn’t visited should. In May, during AAPI Heritage Month, our chamber sponsored the Asian Eats initiative, including an app, to help people learn more about Chinatown and, most importantly, support the businesses that choose to stay there.

Philadelphia’s suburbs are growing fast, with many great authentic Chinese restaurants, which creates competition for Chinatown businesses to attract foot traffic. With Asian Eats and promotional partners like Visit Philly, we tracked nearly 20,000 people using the app to visit participating restaurants between May 1 and May 11. That number doesn’t even reflect the actual foot traffic, which could be three or four times higher.

The economic impact is huge. We’re very supportive of efforts to keep Chinatown safe and clean to attract more visitors. 

What role does advocacy play in the chamber’s mission?
The chamber has always been a strong advocate for lowering burdens on small-business owners, whether those are tax burdens or legislation that discourages growth. I’ve been a member of the Tax Reform Commission since last year, and with our partners, we’re actively advocating for the elimination of the Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT). Philadelphia is the only city in the country that double-taxes businesses.

While there are hurdles to eliminating the entire BIRT, we’re seeing progress with small reductions, as well as decreases in the wage tax. Whether someone lives in Philadelphia or not, they’re taxed for working in the city, which can make businesses feel punished for staying here. That’s not a good strategy if the goal is to attract more investment and talent.

We’re advocating to make doing business in Philadelphia easier, whether that’s through more resources, better access to information and capital, or reducing taxes like parking, real estate, use, and occupancy taxes. We understand the city needs revenue to provide services, but we also want Philadelphia to be a business-friendly city that invites people to come, invest, and stay.

What are your top priorities for helping Asian-owned businesses stay resilient in the coming years?
Our No. 1 goal is business retention. Like many major cities, Philadelphia faces challenges with safety and reliable services. For example, if city workers go on strike, who picks up the trash? That affects restaurants and other businesses, not just residents.

For Asian-owned businesses, especially those making less than $500,000 a year, we want to ensure they have access to capital and the resources they need to grow. That includes e-commerce platforms, greater visibility, and fair opportunities to compete for contracts. These are areas where we’re working closely with our partners.

What opportunities do you see to attract international investment to the region?
Our chamber is receiving a lot of interest from overseas investors. We’re eager to use any platform that can help us reach more businesses abroad. Many major chambers of commerce are connecting on LinkedIn, but we’re focused on smaller chambers that have a huge impact in helping small businesses generate millions in revenue each month.

These are the companies we want to attract and show what Philadelphia has to offer. If there’s an opportunity to use new channels to reach international businesses, we would love that.