Celebrating 40 Years
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NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON UNITED STATES- CHINA RELATIONS 2006 Annual Report Celebrating1966 – 2006 40 Years NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON UNITED STATES-CHINA RELATIONS 71 West 23rd Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10010-4102 / www.ncuscr.org BOARD OF Directors November 2005 – November 2006 CHAIR Keith Abell Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. David R. Malpass Carla A. Hills Dennis Blair Bates Gill D. Bruce McMahan Ray Bracy Thomas M. Gorrie Robert S. McNamara VICE CHAIRMEN Mary Brown Bullock Harry Harding Douglas P. Murray William M. Daley Thomas J. Christensen* Jamie P. Horsley Thomas R. Pickering Maurice R. Greenberg Edward T. Cloonan David A. Jones, Jr. Joseph W. Prueher Thomas H. Kean Jerome A. Cohen John T. Kamm Matt Salmon Nicholas R. Lardy Ken W. Cole Virginia Kamsky James R. Schlesinger William Rhodes Ralph A. Cossa Muhtar Kent Mark A. Schulz J. Stapleton Roy Lorne W. Craner Henry A. Kissinger John L. Thornton Michael L. Ducker Geraldine S. Kunstadter David K. Y. Tang TREASURER Martin S. Feldstein David M. Lampton Herbert J. Hansell Barbara H. Franklin Terrill E. Lautz Charles W. Freeman, III Robert A. Levinson SECRETARY Peter F. Geithner Cheng Li Kathryn D. Christopherson David R. Gergen Kenneth Lieberthal NATIO N A L C O M M I T T E E O N U N I T E D S TAT E S - CHINA RELATIONS The National Committee on United States-China Relations is a nonprofit educational organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries. The Committee focuses its exchange, educational and policy activities on politics and security, education, governance and civil society, economic cooperation, media and transnational issues, addressing these issues with respect to the People’s Republic, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan. The Committee’s programs draw strength from its members, who now number more than 700 Americans from all parts of the country and about 70 corporations and professional firms. They represent many viewpoints, but share the belief that productive U.S.-China relations require ongoing public education, face-to-face contact and forthright exchange of ideas. LETTER from THE CHAIR & PRESIDENT orty years ago, a remarkable group of people decided to take on the challenge of educating Americans about China, anticipating the time when the door F between these two countries would reopen. The National Committee on U.S.- China Relations grew out of their vision and incorporated their principles of educa- tion, not advocacy; representation of diverse views and all facets of American society among its membership; and outreach to government officials, opinion makers and the general public. We were gratified to have two of our founders, Lucian Pye and Robert Scalapino, share some of their memories and insights about the Committee’s work at our fortieth anniversary program in May 2006. We also took note of the diverse audience in atten- dance. Certainly it reflected the high regard that Lucian and Bob enjoy, as American pioneers in the field of China studies. Yet it also illustrated the many types of profession- als whose work now touches the field of U.S.-China relations: not only diplomats and academic specialists, but also corporate executives, consultants, attorneys, non-profit staff, journalists and others. While we take pride in our 40-year history, it’s no longer sufficient for us to say that we are the oldest American organization dedicated to productive U.S.-China relations. Our programs need to take fresh approaches to addressing critical and emerging issues in the relationship. We need to invest in the next generation of leaders, by creating mean- ingful opportunities for outstanding American and Chinese young professionals and students to interact with each other. And we need to remain true to our founders’ goal, of helping Americans gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of China. The programs described in this 2006 annual report demonstrate some of the creative ways in which we try to meet these challenges. We have implemented exchange pro- grams in the fields of politics and security, education, economic cooperation, governance and civil society, media and transnational issues, and they often take on sensitive and cutting edge issues. We have taken American political leaders to China for a firsthand look at the dramatic changes taking place there. We have brought American and Chi- nese specialists together for direct discussion of cross-Strait tensions, HIV/AIDS aware- ness, labor law and other sensitive topics. We have placed Chinese interns in American non-governmental organizations and American high school students in Chinese homes. We have taken delegations away from the major cities to places that are more reflec- 2 NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS tive of typical life in China and the United States. Our programs have given participants opportunities to share professional expertise and insights, debate, argue, laugh and, we hope, find some common ground in their very different sets of personal experience. Forty years ago, it was not possible to imagine even our earliest exchanges, in the fields of athletics and culture, let alone the substantive issues we now tackle. Nor was it possible to picture the many ways in which Americans and Chinese routinely interact today, through diplomacy, business, education and other fields. In a 2001 essay, Bob Scalapino wrote that the goal of the National Committee is “enabling the issue of China to be viewed in its full complexity, with policies examined with respect to American interests as well as those of the global community.” This, in effect, has been our touch- stone over the last four decades. We’re confident that this guidance will continue to serve us well in the years ahead as we develop exchanges and public education programs that will enhance understanding between citizens of the two countries. Our programs would not have succeeded without the generosity and assistance of our funders, members and friends. We are grateful for the many worthy partners who have worked with us in bringing these programs to fruition. Carla A. Hills Chair Stephen A. Orlins President 2006 ANNUAL REPORT 3 L2006ETTER EX CHANGESfrom THE C&HAIR CONFERENCES & PRESIDENT 2006 EXCHANGES & CONFERENCES ational Committee exchanges are two countries, in the ways they change the generally short-term in length but, perspectives participants have of the other Nwe hope, long-term in impact. By country and the continuing interest and providing a means for professionals on both collaboration that they foster. sides of the Pacific to exchange experience Information on exchanges conducted in and expertise, they offer participants a 2006 can be found below; for more details different perspective on China or the about a specific program, please write to United States than can be gained through [email protected]. a sightseeing trip. Discussions during these program may highlight differences as well as common ground, but the effect is to offer POLITICS AND SECURITY a more nuanced understanding of the other National Committee exchanges in the country, the challenges that face its leaders field of politics and security are designed to and the views of citizens from different engage American and Chinese policy-makers walks of life. A typical National Committee and opinion leaders in direct discussion exchange program lasts about two weeks of sensitive issues. As “China’s rise” draws and includes stops in several cities; it is greater consideration in Washington, the characterized by an environment that National Committee has reintroduced encourages participants to exchanges views exchanges for members of Congress and in a forthright manner. We see the success initiated a program for potential candidates of these programs in the contributions in the 2008 presidential race. they make to policy development in the The National Committee has deep National Committee president Steve Orlins (left) accompanied former Senator John Edwards and his advisor Derek Chollet to China. 4 NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS 2006 EXCHANGES & CONFERENCES roots in conducting exchanges for members Track II diplomacy efforts in conjunction with of Congress and their staffs. What has the Harvard-Stanford Preventive Defense changed in the 30 years since our first Program (PDP). A delegation of American program, a 1976 three-week study tour specialists, led by former Secretary of Defense of China for Congressional staffers, are and PDP co-director William Perry, spent the types of briefings that can now be several days in November in Hawaii discussing arranged and the range and depth of those cross-Strait relations and regional security discussions. In January 2006, Congressmen with Chinese specialists. The core group Feeney, Kirk and Larsen, all members of the of Americans has met with mainland and Congressional US-China Working Group, Taiwan interlocutors a total of 10 times since discussed Sino-American cooperation in 1998; as a result of consistent engagement, the Six-Party Talks, non-proliferation, this program has become an effective channel trade frictions, protection of intellectual for exchanging views and exploring sources of property rights and cross-Strait relations tensions on sensitive issues. in meetings with senior representatives of the National People’s Congress (the host US-CHINA WORKING GROUP DELEGATION organization), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TO CHINA Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Defense January 8-17, 2006 and other government agencies. They also Funder: Private sources traveled