About Us

The leading organization for Chinese Americans on civic engagement, public policy, arts, culture and philanthropy

Committee of 100 is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, and the arts. The organization was born from conversations in 1988 between the late renowned architect I.M. Pei and former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger. Kissinger urged Pei to organize a prominent group of Chinese Americans to address issues of both domestic and international concern between the United States and Greater China. Pei teamed up with Yo-Yo Ma, Henry S. Tang, Oscar Tang, the late Chien Shiung Wu, and the late Shirley Young. These influential Chinese American thinkers and leaders would become the first generation of Committee of 100 members.

Like the ancient universal Chinese expression from which we derived our name, which translates loosely to “we the people,” Committee of 100 is a vast community. Our numbers include invited members, supporting staff, partners, and likeminded communities focused on research, arts & culture, public policy, and civic engagement.

Key moments from our history

1989

Committee of 100 is founded by Yo-Yo Ma, I.M. Pei, Henry S. Tang, Oscar Tang, Chien-Shiung Wu, and Shirley Young.

1991

Committee of 100 holds a conference in San Francisco with both American and Chinese Ambassadors presenting on the state of U.S.-China relations.

1998

The White House invites Committee of 100 to present the white paper, “Seeking Common Ground While Respecting Differences,” to National Security Adviser Sandy Berger in preparation for President Clinton’s state visit to China.

2000

Committee of 100 leads a delegation of more than a dozen Asian American organizations to raise the national awareness of the denial of due process in the Wen Ho Lee case.

2001

Committee of 100 publishes the national opinion survey “American Attitudes Towards Chinese Americans and Asian Americans,” documenting previously little-known facts about American public opinion on China.

2011

Committee of 100 hosts a Congressional briefing on the U.S.-China relationship on Capitol Hill. More than 70 Congressional members and staff participate.

I.M. Pei, Founder of Committee of 100
I.M. Pei

"I want to bring out the best in a community and contribute something of permanent value."

I.M. Pei, Founder of Committee of 100

Explore our work by topic

Explore our research, programs, initiatives and events.

Yo-Yo Ma, Founder of Committee of 100
Yo-Yo Ma

"Culture opens our hearts to one another. And the currency in culture is not money, but trust."

Yo-Yo Ma, Founder of Committee of 100

Our board & staff

Our Staff

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Committee of 100 Fact Sheet

Committee of 100 Fact Sheet

 

Annual Reports

2021 Annual Report
2020 Annual Report

FAQs

Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy.

Committee of 100’s headquarters are located in New York City. From this central office, the staff coordinates the Committee’s events and programs across the U.S. and China.

Committee of 100’s purpose is to provide leadership and act as a constructive force in the dual mission of: 1) promoting the full participation of all Chinese Americans in American society and 2) advancing constructive dialogue and relationships between the peoples and leaders of the United States and Greater China.

Committee of 100 was founded in 1990. The concept of founding the Committee came from renowned architect, the late I.M. Pei, and former U.S. Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger. Kissinger discussed with Pei the notion of organizing an influential group of Chinese Americans to address domestic issues of importance in the U.S. and international concern between the United States and Greater China. With a sense of urgency to build bridges between China and the United States, Pei teamed with Yo-Yo Ma, Henry S. Tang, Oscar Tang, the late Shirley Young and the late Chien-Shiung Wu to build a non-profit organization of distinguished Chinese Americans from the arts, business, academia, public service, and the sciences.

With its most recent class of new Members announced in May of 2023, Committee of 100 has more than 140 active members.

Membership in Committee of 100 is by invitation only to American citizens of Chinese descent. Invitees are individuals who have demonstrated leadership in their respective fields, are active in the Chinese American community, and are willing to commit their resources in the promotion of Committee of 100’s goals and programs. Partnerships with Committee of 100, through programs or projects, are established throughout the years.

Committee of 100 is a non-profit organization. It is supported by membership dues, corporate donations, voluntary contributions, partnerships and corporate sponsorship for its annual conferences.

Committee of 100 is non-partisan and is not aligned with any political party in the United States, nor with any of the Asian polarities

As American citizens, Committee of 100 believes that it is in the United States’ interest to have peaceful relations with China and that this is the key to a stable and prosperous United States, Asia, and the world overall. Committee of 100 believes it is possible to base the bilateral relationship on common ground, with both parties motivated to resolve differences in order to reap the benefits of cooperation on a broad array of issues: economic, defense and security, environmental, scientific, public health, and international relations.

Committee of 100 works to promote the full participation of Chinese Americans in all areas of American life. Issues such as racism, education, employment, the bamboo ceiling, ethnic profiling and xenophobia, civil rights, academic integrity, and immigration are among the topics that Committee of 100 members discuss with leaders in government, education, and the business community and continuously comments on externally.

Committee of 100’s members are American citizens who are proud of our contributions to the United States and our Chinese cultural heritage.

We are an organization of Chinese Americans united by our belief in core American values and the fundamental principles of equality and fairness for all people, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, or creed.

We support the full inclusion and advancement of the more than 5 million Chinese Americans in the United States and believe that America is stronger because of its immigrant heritage and diverse citizenry. We firmly reject all forms of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination.

We believe the well-being of all American citizens is affected by the U.S.-China relationship and we encourage Sino-American dialogue and cooperation whenever possible.

We believe progress occurs when the peoples of the United States and China find common ground and work together to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. We call on both governments and non-governmental parties to behave as responsible stakeholders and collaborate peacefully.

We believe in a deeper mutual knowledge of the unique histories and cultures of the United States and China to foster mutual understanding and benefits. We are committed to supporting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries to this end, not least in the areas of: business, the arts, education, public health, science, and philanthropy.

Committee of 100 endorses the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and stands for the rights of all people to live peacefully, speak openly, and worship freely. We therefore call on all governments to embrace the political, religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of their societies. It is that diversity which has fueled the dynamic, innovative, and resilient America of which Chinese Americans are an integral part and that we proudly call home.

Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, arts & culture and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org. or follow Committee of 100 on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for more information.