BEIJING DELEGATION SUMMARY & SELECT EVENT PHOTOS

Earlier this month, the Committee of 100 hosted its annual delegation trip to Beijing, China. The delegation of twenty C100 members was led by Chairman Frank H. Wu. C100 participated as the sole strategic partner in the World Philanthropy Forum and met with high-ranking government officials including U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad; Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi; Minister Qiu Yuanping, Director of the State Council’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office; Assistant Minister Li Chenggang, Ministry of Commerce; and Li Haifeng, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

In addition to meetings with high-level officials, C100 met with Zhang Yansheng, member of the Academic Committee of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), who is credited with establishing the concept of “One Belt, One Road,”; and leading think tanks the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) and the Center for China and Globalization (CCG).

The delegation trip kicked-off with the World Philanthropy Forum, hosted by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). The Former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Eileen Gillard, and former Prime Minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, were among the dignitaries in attendance.

C100 Governor Shirley Young delivered a keynote, emphasizing C100’s contributions through culture. C100 members Howard Li, Carter Tseng, Roger Wang, and Walter Wang presented the Chinese American example of the diaspora experience on a panel titled “Philanthropy: The Case of Chinese Americans.”

This year, 32 awardees selected from the top 18 institutions participated in the conference and mentoring program. Two panels were held: a panel discussion on “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” by LSP Alumni, and a panel discussion on “U.S.-China Relations: C100 Public Perceptions Opinion Survey 2017.” C100 member Dali Yang moderated the latter panel that featured fellow member George Koo; William Klein, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing; William Zarit, Chairman of AmCham China; and Dr. Jia Qingguo, Dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University.

The C100 LSP Awards Ceremony took place at the Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast, thanks to sponsor HNA Group, and featured C100 member and celebrity in multiple media Kelly Cha as the gala MC. Speakers at the gala included Long Yongtu, Chief Negotiator of China’s entry into the World Trade Organization and former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation; Tan Tianxing, Vice Minister of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office; and U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad. Ambassador Branstad told the story of his personal relationship with President Xi Jinping formed decades ago on an Iowa farm when they both were young men starting political careers, and highlighted C100 for its support of the Fulbright Scholarships in China through the recent launch of the $1 million “C100 U.S.-China Fulbright Fund.” It is C100’s hope to strengthen the next generation of U.S.-China bridge builders through initiatives such as the Leadership Scholarship Program and the Fulbright Fund.