The CCG’s ‘track-II’ diplomacy in America (VII) – CCG invited the representatives of many world-class think tanks in America to a breakfast meeting in Washington D.C.

On the morning of Oct 3, the team from the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) held a breakfast meeting with the representatives of many world-class think tanks in Washington D.C.. They shared views on the economic and trade relations between China and America.

The breakfast meeting was presided by Wendy Culter, the Vice President of Asia Society Policy Institute and the former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, who was responsible for the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The guests of the meeting included David Dollar, the senior researcher of Brookings Institute and the former official of Treasury Department, Scott Kennedy, the Deputy Director of the Freeman Chair in China Studies and the Director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy at CSIS, Matthew Goodman, the senior adviser for Asian economics and the William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy at CSIS, Daly Robert, the Director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, Jeffrey Schott, the senior fellow working on international trade policy and economic sanctions of PIIE and the former official of Treasury Department, Bruce H. Andrews, the former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Jocelyn Chan, the Senior Director of American Chamber of Commerce, James Keith, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and Director for China on the National Security Council and the managing director of McLarty Associates, Michael Schiffer, the Senior Advisor/Counselor in the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Katherine Tai, the Trade Counsel in the House Committee on Ways and Means, Jacob Bell, the Program Officer in the Asia Society Policy Institute’s, Eric Shimp, the Assistant of the Vice Director of the department of Global government relations of Letter Ann financial group, Orit Frenkel, the Senior Manager for GE Global Government Affairs and Policy, and David Kim, the Vice Director of the Government Affairs of Hyundai Auto.

The breakfast meeting was held at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace headquarters in Washington D.C. In his speech, Dr. Wang Huiyao analyzed the opportunities for China and America’s cooperation in economy, trade, investment, infrastructure, cultural exchange, and the Belt and Road Initiatives. Following the speech, many scholars and previous policy-makers expressed their opinions on topics including the future of China and America’s economy and trade, the investigation of CFUIS, and the participation of America in Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. Wendy Culter, Vice President of Asia Society Policy Institute, showed her support for the incoming meeting between the two countries’ leaders. She believed Asia Society would help America improve its relationship with other Asian countries.

In response to the worries conveyed by the American representatives, Dr. Wang Huiyao was optimistic about the future of the two countries. He believed the number and magnitude of opportunities are greater than those of challenges. Also, he introduced to the guests the activities CCG that engaged with in during this visit. Additionally, as a leading independent think tank in China, through its strong relationships with many think tanks in the U.S., CCG has been organizing similar events to facilitate the communication of different think tanks. During this meeting, CCG shared with others its recent reports, including ‘Trump’s Coming Era: Challenges, Opportunities and Responses’ and ‘Infrastructure Cooperation- New Opportunities for China –U.S. Relations’.

Prior to President Trump’s visit to China and after the first- round cultural and social communication between China and America led by Liu Yandong, the Vice Premier of State Council, the cultural exchange between the two countries was the main force in driving the long-term development of the two countries’ relations. Through this visit, CCG aims to deepen the mutual trust and understanding between the two countries and help think tanks play a bigger role in influencing government policies and the development of companies.

CCG’s week-long journey to America began on Sep 29 and continue until Oct 4. During the visit, the team of CCG visited Council on Foreign Relations, Asia Society, National Committee on United States-China Relations and Committee of 100 in New York. In Washington D.C, it plans to organize several symposiums with many world-class think tanks in the U.S., which included Asia Society Policy Study Institute, AEI, the Heritage Foundation, Center for American Progress, American Migration Policy Institute, Brookings Institute, CSIS, Wilson Center Kissinger Institute on China, and PIIE.