Bringing China-U.S. Relations Back to the Right Track

2021年2月22日上午，由中国公共外交协会、北京大学和中国人民大学联合主办的“对话合作，管控分歧——推动中美关系重回正轨”蓝厅论坛成功举办。

The Lanting Forum was held on February 22 with the theme "Promoting Dialogue and Cooperation and Managing Differences: Bringing China-U.S. Relations Back to the Right Track". The Forum, co-organized by China Public Diplomacy Association, Peking University and Renmin University of China, was attended either online or offline by high-ranking officials, renowned scholars, and eminent figures across various fields.

Insights from Heavyweights

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made his remarks at the opening ceremony, saying that China and the United States, as two major countries, should work together for the common good of humankind since this is the expectation of the international community and the due responsibility of major countries. Speaking on clearing the path for the resumption of bilateral exchanges in all areas, Wang noted that the number of Chinese visitors to the United States, either for exchange programs or study, had plummeted in recent years. As such, he hopes that the U.S. will act as early as possible to encourage and support the resumption of normal exchange programs between universities, research institutes and of students. Meanwhile, he hopes that the Lanting Forum will be a platform for candid discussions and consensus building as well as a source of visions, insights and wisdom for a better China-U.S. relationship.

Henry Paulson, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, admitted that over the course of his career in dealing with China he has never seen this relationship more fraught. But Paulson is pleased that Joe Biden is U.S. President now, which will result in more predictable policies and less inflammatory rhetoric. Competition, however, remains inevitable. Paulson said it is in each of our interests that competition be as healthy as possible and without unnecessary confrontation. He also added that we should focus on some of the easier issues to develop momentum and trust, for instance halting the proliferation of visa restrictions on student and scholarly exchanges that can promote innovation in the public interest.

Peking University President Hao Ping was also in attendance at the Lanting Forum. President Hao called for increased cooperation between higher education institutions in China and America, saying that universities must play a more active role in the building of healthy and stable China-U.S. relations. President Hao expressed his hope that higher education institutions in the two countries should develop new modes of cooperation and deepen their mutual bonds established over the years. Facing an urgent need to enhance international cooperation when tackling global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, major diseases and the spread of virus, President Hao looks forward to the future concerted efforts of Chinese and American universities in research and innovation. He also pointed out that universities in both countries should utilize new technology and platforms as a means to cultivate deep friendships and facilitate sincere exchanges between the two nation's younger generation.

China's Ambassador to the U.S.Cui Tiankai said history has proved that a sound and stable China-U.S. relationship serves the common interests of the two peoples and the entire international community. He added that the two nations need to have an accurate understanding of each other's strategic intentions and a real knowledge and respect of each other's history, culture and development path. In order to effectively manage differences and focus on cooperation, Cui pointed out that both countries also need to have candid communication and clearly define their policy boundaries.

Meanwhile, the distinguished guests who attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches also included Kevin Rudd, President and CEO of Asia Society and former Prime Minister of Australia, Maurice R. Greenberg, former Chairman and CEO of American International Group and Chairman of the Starr Companies, and former Vice Foreign Minister of China Fu Ying, among others.

Following the opening ceremony, the Lanting Forum was split into three breakout sessions that centered around the topics of rebuilding political trust, restoring balance to economic and trade ties, and resuming people-to-people exchanges respectively. Representatives from China and the U.S. offered their perspectives and had in-depth discussions. The speakers included Professor Wang Jisi, President of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University, and Professor Yuan Ming, Dean of Yenching Academy of Peking University. Professor Wang Dong, Executive Director of the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding at Peking University, moderated one of the breakout sessions.

Professor Wang Jisi stressed that mutual understanding is the key to combatting political distrust between China and the U.S. He sees this effort as crucial to the prevention of social, economic, and technological decoupling, as well as a way to avoid direct confrontation between the two nations. Noting that China seeks to establish its principles before tackling specific problems whereas the U.S. tends to address problems before looking to improve the relationship, he called for action to solve such differences and avoid confrontation that results from this lack of understanding.

Professor Yuan Ming focused on the value of people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. as demonstrated through the past 40 years of the shared history. She said the breadth and depth of the active engagement between China and the U.S. have exceeded that of any other period in history, and she believes mutual support is the key to leaving positive experiences in the history of humanity. Lauding the future visions, language competence, communication skills, and global concerns the younger generation possess, Professor Yuan stressed that the future rests with these young people and revealed that the youngsters at Yenching Academy had initiated the Yenching Global Symposium 2021 with the theme "Shared Renewal: Recoupling East with West".

●Guests at the Breakout Sessions ●

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Breakout Session I: Rebuilding Political Trust

Moderator: 

Wang Guan, CGTN Anchor

Speakers:

H.E. Fu Ying, former Vice Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China Chair of CISS at Tsinghua University

H.E. Stephen A. Orlins, President of National Committee on U.S.-China Relations

Wang Jisi, Dean of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Peking University

Joshua Cooper Ramo, Vice Chairman of Kissinger Associates

Zhang Baijia, former Deputy Director of Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee

H.E. Michael McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Director of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Chen Dongxiao, President of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS)

David J. Firestein, President of the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations

Ruan Zongze, Executive Vice President of China Institute of International Studies

Nirav Patel, Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Group

Wang Yiwei, Director of Institute of International Affairs, Remin University of China

Breakout Session II : Restoring Balance to Economic and Trade Ties 

Moderator:

Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongya

ng Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China

Speakers:

H.E. Zhu Guangyao, former Vice Minister of Finance of the People's Republic of China

H.E. Carla Hills, former United States Trade Representative

H.E. Zhu Min, Chair of the National Institute of Financial Research at Tsinghua University, former Vice president of the International Monetary Fund, former Vice President of The People's Bank of China

Greg Gilligan, Chairman of the AmCham China

Chi Fulin, President of China Institute for Reform and Development

Parag Khanna, Senior Research Fellow in the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at the National University of Singapore

Chen Wenling, Chief Economist at China Center for International Economic Exchanges

Niall Campbell Ferguson, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University

Feng Qiaobin, Deputy Director of Macroeconomic Research at the Development Research Center of the State Council

Cao Dewang, Chairman of Fuyao Group

Breakout Session III :Resuming People-to-People Exchange

Moderator:

Wang Dong, Executive Director of Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding at Peking University

Speakers:

H.E. Liu Limin, President of China Education Association for International Exchange, former Vice Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China

H.E. Julia Chang Bloch，former U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, President of the U.S.-China Education Trust

H.E. Li Junru, former Vice President of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC

Brendan S. Mulvane, Director of China Aerospace Studies Institute at U.S. National Defense University

Yuan Ming, Dean of the Yenching Academy, Peking University

Thomas L. Friedman, Columnist for the New Yorker Times

Yao Ming, President Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)

Li Cheng, Director of the John L. Thornton China Center, the Brookings Institution

Lang Ping, Head Coach of the Chinese Women's National Volleyball Team

Graham Tillett Allison Jr., Professor of Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University

Zhang Wenhong, Director of the Infectious Diseases department at Huashan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University and Head of Shanghai's expert team for COVID-19 clinical treatment

Liu Yawei, Director of the China Program, the Carter Center

Diao Daming, Associate Professor, School of International Relations, Renmin University of China

The Lanting Forum, initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, is a platform for communication and exchanges between government, the business community, academia, media and the public. It aims at creating a new channel to facilitate discussions on foreign policies and issues of common interest by relevant parties. It is named after Lanting (the Blue Hall) of the Ministry, where the event has been regularly held.

Advancing People-to-People Exchanges: PKU on the Move

Last year, the Institute for Global Cooperation and Understanding at Peking University worked with China Public Diplomacy Association and other institutions to organize the 18th Lanting Forum featuring on the international order and global governance in the post-COVID-19 era. Moreover, Peking University has long dedicated itself to advancing people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. It has renewed agreements on exchange programs with 12 U.S. universities, and entered into a partnership with the University of Chicago to host a series of 25 online lectures. The Turing Class, which invites Turing Award winner Professor John Hopcroft and other top-notch academics from China and the U.S. to give lectures, has been well-received among students. These fruitful and significant exchanges herald new opportunities for cooperation between universities in China and the U.S.

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Bringing China-U.S. Relations Back to the Right Track

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, China Public Diplomacy Association, PKU Office of International Relations

Writer: Huang Weijian, Li Wanqi

Editor: Jacob Tomkins

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, China Public Diplomacy Association, Embassy of China in the U.S.

Video: China Public Diplomacy Association

Designer: Pu Hairui