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May 2022 e-Newsletter
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After a period of more than two decades without diplomatic relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China, an extraordinary series of developments led a delegation from the U.S. Table Tennis Association (USTTA) to make a surprise visit to China in April, 1971. One year later, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, co-hosted (with USTTA) the return visit of a Chinese table tennis team; the group traveled to eight cities across the United States. And so “Ping Pong Diplomacy” began.
The National Committee celebrated the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy with the following interviews and events.
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Video Interview: National Committee Vice President Jan Berris shares stories from her work on Ping Pong Diplomacy and reflects on the legacy of the ping pong teams’ visits to each country on U.S.-China relations today. Watch the interview.
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Public Event: Jing Tsu and Pete Millwood discuss the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy and cultural exchange in the context of the U.S.-China relationship in a conversation with Keisha Brown. Watch the event video.
Visit our Ping Pong Diplomacy resource page to view our full collection of related interviews, events, and photos.
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Join National Committee Directors Paul Haenle, Ben Harburg, Elizabeth Knup, and Nancy Yao on May 24, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. EDT for our annual members program as they consider the past, present, and future of the bilateral relationship from the perspectives of business, think tanks, foundations, and cultural institutions.
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The Avoidable War
Former Australian Prime Minister and current Asia Society President Kevin Rudd outlines how the United States and China can find a way to co-exist without compromising their core interests through “managed strategic competition” in an interview with NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins.
Watch the 35-minute interview | Listen to
the podcast
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Gang Chen’s Story and the End of the China Initiative
MIT Professor Gang Chen joins National Committee President Stephen Orlins to talk about the end of the China Initiative, including what it means to him personally, and to the broader scientific community.
Watch the 40-minute interview | Listen to the podcast
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EU-China Relations at a Crossroads
Ivana Karásková, a China and international relations scholar in Prague, analyzes recent developments in EU-China relations and implications for the Sino-American bilateral relationship in a conversation with National Committee Public Intellectuals Program Fellow Matt Ferchen.
Watch the 30-minute interview | Listen to the podcast
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U.S.-China Climate Finance Cooperation
Kelly Sims Gallagher, academic dean and professor of energy and environmental policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, discusses the importance of U.S.-China cooperation in accelerating the pace of global climate finance investment.
Watch the 30-minute interview | Listen to the podcast
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From Ping Pong Tables to American Farms and Schools
Jan Berris, vice president of the National Committee, shares her first-hand experience of arranging the historic 1972 visit of the Chinese Ping Pong team to the United States, part of “Ping Pong Diplomacy.” In addition to table tennis-related events, organizers arranged a wide and varied range of activities to help the Chinese visitors better understand the complexity and diversity of American culture and society.
Watch the 2-minute clip on Bilibili | Follow us on
Bilibili
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In April, the National Committee hosted two programs for the Schwarzman Scholars community. The first was a closed-door conversation, moderated by Schwarzman Fellow Will Cullen, on opportunities for U.S.-China cooperation on climate financing with Professors David Sandalow (Columbia University) and Zhang Xiliang (Tsinghua University), both members of NCUSCR’s Track II Dialogue on Climate Finance.
The second, a day-long seminar in DC, was highlighted by briefings from Julian Gewirtz (NSC) and Robert Daly (Wilson Center) and a dinner program including Amy Celico, Stephen Orlins, Shelley Rigger, Phillip Saunders, and 24 alumni. The seminar marked a successful return to in-person programming, providing the growing Schwarzman community with the long-awaited opportunity to engage with others on the major issues in the bilateral relationship and to strengthen personal relationships with fellow alumni.
The National Committee hosted a virtual program discussing Beethoven in Beijing, a feature-length documentary spotlighting the explosive growth of classical music in China since the 1973 tour of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the first American orchestra to perform in the People’s Republic. NCUSCR was proud to facilitate that historic visit; almost 50 years later, on April 7, 2022, it was delighted to bring Jie Chen, Jennifer Lin, Sheila Melvin, and Booker Rowe together to share their experiences in musical exchange and prospects for the future.
Watch the event video | Listen to the event podcast
NCUSCR’s Congressional engagement team traveled to Capitol Hill at the end of April for its first set of in-person meetings with Members of Congress and their staff since the pandemic started. An off-the-record briefing on the Indo-Pacific implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, led by Shelley Rigger (Davidson College) and Public Intellectuals Program Fellow Phillip Saunders (National Defense University), experts on Taiwan and the People’s Liberation Army, respectively, anchored the visit. |
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The Special Professional Fellows Program places mid-level professionals from China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, and Taiwan working in environmental sustainability, legal aid, philanthropy, and community building with American host organizations. Applicants must be proficient in English, aged 25 to 40, and committed to returning home to continue working in their fields. Beginning with virtual programming, fellows will then arrive in the United States for in-person placements in the late fall, circumstances permitting. NCUSCR receives generous support from the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs to manage the program.
Note: We have a full cohort of applicants from China and Mongolia. Applications from Hong Kong and Taiwan will be accepted through May 16.
We’re hiring! The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is currently recruiting for the following positions:
Visit our website for more details on these positions and application instructions.
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Join us in promoting constructive engagement between the United States and China. Make a tax-deductible contribution to the National Committee.
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