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A Delegation of the Center for American Progress Visits China
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2009-11-10
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At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), a delegation of the Center for American Progress (CAP) led by the former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta visited Beijing and Tianjin from Aug 31 to Sep 3. The key members of the delegation are as follows: Mr. Thomas Daschle, former U.S. Senate Democratic Leader, Mr. Rudy deLeon, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, Mr. John Deutch, former U.S. Director of Central Intelligence Agency and former Deputy Secretary of Defense, and Amb. Wendy Sherman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and former U.S. Policy Coordinator on North Korea, etc.
During the visit in Beijing, Mr. Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, Mr. Chen Deming, Minister of Commerce, Mr. Chen Zhu, Minister of Health, Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, General Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff, Amb. Yang Wenchang, President of the CPIFA, met with or hosted a banquet for the delegation respectively. The delegation also attended the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue” co-sponsored by the CPIFA, the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) and the CAP, and had discussions or dialogues with Mr. Ye Xiaowen, Director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, Mr. He Yafei, Vice Foreign Minister, leaders of the five major religions in China and young Chinese business entrepreneurs. During the visit in Tianjin, Mr. Huang Xingguo, Mayor of the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, met with and hosted a banquet for the delegation. The delegation also took the Beijing-Tianjin high speed train, visited the Tianjin Urban Planning Museum, the Green Chemistry and Chemical Industry Laboratory and the Smart Grid Laboratory in Tianjin University.
On the afternoon of Sep 3, Mr. Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the CPPCC, met with the delegation of the CAP led by Mr. Podesta in the Great Hall of the People.
On the morning of Sep 1, Amb. Yang Wenchang, President of the CPIFA, chaired the Opening Ceremony of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”. He said, “This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States. The Great Chinese philosopher Confucius said, ‘At the age of thirty, a man is well-established’, indicating that the age of thirty is a landmark for maturity and competence in one’s lifetime. Sino-U.S. relationship, amidst all ups and downs in the past thirty years, has grown into maturity and become one of the most important bilateral relations in the world.”
Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, addressed at the Opening Ceremony. After listing the significant progress China has achieved ever since the establishment of the P.R.C., he pointed out that in the current era, the destiny of China is closely linked to that of the world. China would like to strengthen cooperation with other countries and play a constructive role in building a better world.
On the morning of Sep 2, Mr. Cheng Siwei, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, chaired Session 3 of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”: Balanced and Sustained Global Economic Growth. He delivered a keynote speech in which he introduced the economic achievements China has made since the policy of the Reform and Opening Up was adopted 30 years ago and the measures China has taken to cope with the global financial crisis.
On the afternoon of Sep 2, Mr. Xu Kuangdi, President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, former Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, chaired Session 2 of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”: Energy Opportunity and Climate Change. He made a keynote speech in which he pointed out that, although developing new energy is important, the significance of energy conservation should not be ignored. The energy waste problem is so severe in the modern society that we have huge potential for saving. At the meantime, he suggested that, on cooperation on climate change and energy technologies, China and the U.S. should set up a working group consisting of politicians and technicians to fully discuss the related issues, formulate plans for implementation and submit feasible policy advice to both governments for reference.
At the noon of Sep 1, Mr. He Yafei, Vice Foreign Minister, made a keynote speech at the luncheon of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue” and answered questions.
Mr. Podesta, President of the CAP, addressed at the Opening Ceremony. He argued that the U.S.-China relationship is stepping into a new historical era, it should go beyond the strategy of “hedging”. Today, the bilateral relationship is not only limited to coordination on detailed and specific policies, but is also moving into a phase of overall strategic coordination in various areas including economy, climate change, energy and strategic security, etc.
On the morning of Sep 1, Mr. Daschle, former U.S. Senate Democratic Leader, delivered a speech at Session 1 of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”. He emphasized that in face of common challenges, it is crucial for both the U.S. and China to play a leading role in the international multilateral framework. He suggested that both countries should strengthen cooperation to cope with the global financial crisis.
Mr. Yang Jiemian, President of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), delivered a speech at Session 1. He reckoned that the future Sino-U.S. relationship will be characterized by 5 “C”, namely Common Challenges, Cooperative Attitudes, Consultative Mechanisms, Coordinating Policies and Co-defining the Future.
Mr. Jia Qingguo, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC, member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, Associate Dean of the School of International Studies of Peking University, gave a speech at Session 1. He raised 4 pieces of specific advice: to put the common consensus and bilateral agreements into practice; to further promote the Strategic and Economic Dialogue; to actively cooperate in dealing with urgent problems; to strengthen bilateral relationship and consolidate the foundation of public opinion.
Amb. Sherman, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and former U.S. Policy Coordinator on North Korea, made a speech at Session 1. She said that the U.S. needs China’s role as leader and partner on the North Korean nuclear issue.
Mr. Chen Zhiya, Secretary General of the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies (CFISS), made a speech at Session 1. He argued that no global or regional problem could be resolved without Sino-U.S. cooperation. Closer cooperation serves the strategic interests of the two countries.
Mr. Zhou Dadi, Director General Emeritus, Senior Advisor and Researcher of the Energy Research Institute of National Development and Reform Commission, spoke at Session 2. He introduced the measures the Chinese government has adopted to tackle climate change and achieve sustainable energy development.
Mr. Deutch, former U.S. Director of Central Intelligence Agency and former Deputy Secretary of Defense, made a speech at Session 2. He argued that it is critical to both the U.S. and China to carry out technical cooperation on new energy and climate change. The cooperation would not only reshape the U.S.-China relationship, but also exert global impact.
Mr. Zhang Xiliang, Director of the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy of Tsinghua University, introduced the exchanges and cooperation programs carried out in the areas of climate change and energy between China and the international society in which Tsinghua University participated.
Mr. Ding Yihui, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Advisor on Climate Change for China Meteorological Administration, briefed about the impact of climate change on China and the world from the meteorological angle.
Mr. Lawrence Lau, President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, famous economist, delivered a speech at Session 3. He put forward 3 proposals: China and the U.S. should coordinate on battling climate change to seek a solution which serves the interests of both the developed and developing countries; to integrate the research power of both countries to develop technologies of clean energy and new energy together; to reform the international trade and currency system.
Mr. Andy Stern, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), suggested at Session 3 that China should strengthen coordination and communication with the labor unions to win their supports and let the workers know that U.S.-China cooperation could bring practical profits to them.
Mr. Zhu Min, Group Executive Vice President of the Bank of China, made a speech at Session 3. He raised 3 points. First, it will still take some time for the global economy to step out of the current crisis. Both the Chinese and the U.S. governments should be committed to maintaining low inflation rate, stable GDP growth rate and exchange rate and reasonable imbalance on current account. Second, China and the U.S. should enhance communication and exchanges in the macroeconomic field. Third, the global economic and financial order is experiencing huge transformation, but the establishment of new economic and financial framework still lacks sustaining foundation.
Ms. Pritzker, Founder and Chair of Classic Residence by Hyatt, made a speech at Session 3. While introducing the major measures the Obama Administration has adopted in the economic area since taking office, she pointed out that the economic stabilizing policy of the U.S. government is a long-term plan. President Obama is not a protectionist, but he is facing huge pressure to create jobs. She hoped the Chinese side could understand the current domestic political environment of the U.S..
Mr. Wang Jianxi, member of the Committee for Economic Affairs of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Vice President of the China Investment Corporation Ltd., indicated that the transparency of U.S. approval of foreign investment is not enough. The biggest misgiving for China to invest in the U.S. is investment protectionism. He hoped the U.S. side could realize China’s investment in the U.S. is out of goodwill. He reckoned that both China and the U.S. should increase research and understanding of each other’s core interests, enhance mutual trust through dialogue and communication and build a sound investment environment.
On the morning of Sep 2, Amb. Yang Wenchang, President of the CPIFA, chaired the Closing Ceremony of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”. Mr. Podesta, President of the CAP and Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC, addressed respectively. Mr. Podesta said that the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue” is a high-level, high-quality dialogue between the think-tanks of the two countries. It should be carried on in the future. Mr. Tung Chee Hwa and Amb. Yang Wenchang said that the dialogue is full of new ideas. The Chinese side welcomes the new thinking put forward by the U.S. side that the bilateral relationship should go beyond the strategy of “hedging”.
On the evening of Aug 31, Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC and Amb. Yang Wenchang, President of the CPIFA hosted a banquet for the delegation of the CAP at the CPIFA compound.
On Sep 1, Mr. Ye Xiaowen, Director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs and the leaders of 5 major religions in China briefed about the religions in China at the breakfast meeting of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”. Amb. Chen Yonglong, Vice President of the CPIFA, chaired the meeting.
On Sep 2, young Chinese business entrepreneurs briefed about the current economic situation in China at the breakfast meeting of the “Sino-U.S. Dialogue”. Amb. Chen Yonglong, Vice President of the CPIFA, chaired the meeting.
On the evening of Sep 2, Mr. Huang Xingguo, Mayor of the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, met with the delegation of the CAP at the Guesthouse of Tianjin.
