On March 13, Mr. Dong Jianhua, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and his delegation visited Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy accompanied by Chen Xu, Director of Tsinghua University Council and Secretary of the Party Committee, listened to a report on the work of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center by American Director Mr. Paul Haenle and highly affirmed the work of the Center.
In his opening remarks, Dong expressed his long-term attention to and support for the work of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center. He mentioned that he hoped to visit Carnegie-Tsinghua Center long before. He especially thought highly of the efforts made by the Center to promote the development of Sino-US relations and mutual understanding between the two countries. He also said that he had deep friendship with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) and Mr. William J. Burns, the President of CEIP and the former United State Deputy Secretary of State. China-United States Exchange Foundation led by Mr. Dong also maintains extensive and profound cooperation with Carnegie-Tsinghua Center.
Chen affirmed the work of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center in promoting think tank construction, facilitating internationalization of Tsinghua University and enhancing cultural and educational exchanges between universities, and expected to see more development of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center.
Haenle reported the work of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center to Mr. Dong and the leadership of Tsinghua University, including strengthening dialogues and communication between China and the US at all levels, providing an international platform for the development of Tsinghua’s scientific research and academic work, and bringing international resources to Tsinghua students. “Distinguished Scholars” Program, the flagship program of the Center, invites former politicians and top experts and scholars from the US to Beijing for discussions on how to better promote the development of U.S.-China relations with political, business and academic circles in China and for close-range dialogues with Tsinghua students. Distinguished scholars participating in the program include Elaine Chao, the former U.S. Secretary of Labor and current U.S. Secretary of Transportation, and Donald Evans, the former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. “Carnegie Global Dialogue” series, another key program of the Center, invite scholars in the global network of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center to gather in Beijing for academic exchanges on regional hotspot issues. Besides, the “Young Ambassadors” program aiming at cultivation of young leaders of the next generation provides valuable opportunities for students from Tsinghua and other top universities around the world to learn practices and theories of international relations. After listening carefully to the report, Dong said, “U.S.-China relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world, which is especially true nowadays”. Therefore, efforts of Carnegie-Tsinghua Center to promote the development of U.S.-China relations and solution of global problems have played a special and vital role. Chen also asked about achievements in scientific research made by Carnegie-Tsinghua Center and extended full affirmation.
After the meeting, Dong had cordial talks with the staff and young ambassadors at Carnegie-Tsinghua Center and took a group photo with them as a memento.
Carnegie-Tsinghua Center was founded jointly by SSS and CEIP in 2010. Established in 1910, CEIP is one of the earliest and the most influential American think tanks, and has now set up research centers in six strategic cities such as Beijing, Brussels, Beirut, Moscow, New Delhi and Washington DC. With the platform of Tsinghua University, Carnegie-Tsinghua Center brings together senior experts and diplomatic policy makers from China, the US and the rest of the world, so as to seek constructive solutions to global challenges.
The delegation led by Mr. Dong also included Mr. Zhu Yinghuang, Mr. Huang Dizhong and Mr. Yang Xin. Leaders of Tsinghua University accompanying the visit included Vice President Yang Bin, SSS Dean Peng Kaiping and Director Li Jinliang of Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs.
