Source: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Written by: Office of International Cooperation & Exchange
Proofread by: Guo Lianlian
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On September 26 local time, SYSU President Luo Jun attended the U.S.-China University Presidents and Think Tank Forum at Columbia University in New York City. The Forum with the theme of “U.S.-China Relations in the Next 50 Years”, was hosted by Renmin University of China (RUC) and Columbia University, organized by Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of RUC and Asia Society Policy Institute, and supported by China Scholarship Council. Vice Premier Liu Yandong attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech.

Noting the year of 2017 marks the 45th Anniversary of the release of the Shanghai Communique, Vice Premier Liu Yandong said the China-US relations have been developing steadily despite ups and downs over the past 45 years, and bilateral ties have not only brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, but also made important contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large. Vice Premier Liu Yandong noted that a four-point inspiration can be drawn from the development of the China-US relations. First, mutual respect and mutual trust. Second, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Third, seeking common ground while shelving differences, striving for harmony but not sameness. Fourth, strengthening friendship for coexistence and sharing.

Vice Premier Liu Yandong said that people-to-people exchanges is where the two countries have the least disagreements and the most consensus. Over the past seven years, the China-US high-level cultural exchange mechanism has achieved fruitful results, which has enriched bilateral relations. China-US ties have become warmer, more resilient and more dynamic. She expressed the hope that universities and think tanks of the two countries will carry out strategic and forward-looking research and jointly cultivate high-quality talents so as to make positive suggestions for the development of China-US relations.

Josette Sheeran, President and CEO of Asia Society; Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone; and Henry Alfred Kissinger, Former US Secretary of State, presented an address respectively. Chen Baosheng, Minister of Education; Luo Shugang, Minister of Culture; Li Bin, Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission; Cui Tiankai, Chinese Ambassador to the United States; Jiang Xiaojuan, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council; as well as over 20 university presidents, representatives of think tanks and businesses from China and the United States, a total of over 200 people attended the meeting. The specialists and scholars participated in the discussions on four topics: “U.S.-China Relations Review: From Economic, Political and Cultural Perspective”, “The Next 50 Years: Proposals in Tailoring Mutual Trust and Benefits”, "Exploring Suggestions in Deepening U.S.-China People-to-People Exchange”, and “Belt and Road: From American and Chinese Understanding”.

During his visit in the U.S., President Luo Jun also held discussions with overseas high-level talents to implement the relevant introduction plan for high-level talents.

SYSU has increasingly close relations with American universities and research institutes, and the exchanges and collaborations have been increasingly strengthened. Up till now, SYSU has signed university-level agreements with 35 American universities or institutions to formally establish cooperative relations and conduct cooperation and exchange of various degrees in the forms including cooperative research, faculty visit, student joint training, student exchange, joint construction of Confucius Institute, etc.