To conclude the celebration of the National Committee’s 50th Anniversary, Chair Carla Hills led a delegation of board members and donors to Beijing for a three-day program from November 30 to December 2, 2017. The delegation met with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and with new Politburo member and State Councilor Yang Jiechi. The two meetings covered a wide range of topics, including the outlook for Sino-American trade, President Trump’s November state visit, and China’s political and economic reforms. Vice Premier Wang and Stage Councilor Yang congratulated the National Committee on its 50-year history of facilitating strong and stable bilateral relations. The delegation also had a private dinner with U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, who expressed his appreciation for the Committee’s continued support. One of the highlights of the program was a celebration dinner that included almost 100 friends and past program participants, including a member of the historic 1972 Chinese Table Tennis Delegation to the United States, which the Committee co-hosted. The final component was a roundtable discussion with Chinese scholars, diplomats, and policymakers on the two countries’ domestic political environments and developments in bilateral dynamics, followed by a luncheon featuring speaker Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang. On the final day, the delegation enjoyed a private tour of the Forbidden City and a dinner at the Palace Museum. The National Committee is grateful to its oldest Chinese partner, the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, which co-sponsored and helped arrange several of these celebratory events.
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