Business and Policy Forum Transforming Ties: US–Asia Relations in the 21st Century
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Discussion on the trajectory of US-Asia relations in the 21st Century with:
John D. Negroponte, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
Yuan Ming, Vice Dean & Professor, School of International Studies, Peking University
Lee Hong-Koo, former Prime Minister, South Korea
Toyoo Gyohten, former Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs, Japan
Ronnie C. Chan, Co-Chair, Asia Society (Moderator)
The US and Asia have been steadily working towards stronger diplomatic relations and increased trade ties. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton making her first overseas trip to the region was a clear signal of intent. The Obama administration has since identified Asia as a top priority in its foreign policy agenda. As US-China relations continue to take center stage (bilateral trade is in excess of US$80 billion), the US has been accused of neglecting ties with other parts of the region, such as ASEAN. Should China continue to dominate America’s engagement with Asia? Has Washington lost sight of the importance of relations with the rest of Asia? What are the common areas of cooperation for the US and Asia, for example nuclear proliferation in North Korea? Do the US and non-China Asia have reason to fear the rise of China? What role can ASEAN, which is committed to creating a single economic community by 2015, play in Asia? What are some of the potential flashpoints in the region that could flare up in the near future?
Panelists
John D. Negroponte is the former US Deputy Secretary of State and was also the first Director of National Intelligence under President George W. Bush. He is currently Vice Chairman of McLarty Associates and a research fellow and lecturer in international affairs at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. Mr. Negroponte served in the United States Foreign Service from 1960 to 1997 where his posts include US ambassador to Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines. He subsequently also served as US permanent representative to the United Nations and ambassador to Iraq. Mr. Negroponte is also chairman of the Council of the Americas/Americas Society and is a Trustee of the Asia Society.
Yuan Ming is the Vice Dean of the School of International Studies and the Director of the Center for American Studies at the University of Peking. She has also held positions at University of California, Berkeley, Oxford University, Carter Center, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Brookings Institution. Professor Yuan has published widely on US-China relations, foreign policy, culture, and international relations and is recognized as one of the most influential Chinese scholars in the field of Chinese-American relations. Her publications include Cross Century Assignment: the International Relations Studies in China and A History of International Relations (1648-1989), which is one of the leading publications and textbooks in China. She also co-edited Sino-American Relations (1945-1955) and the Golden Age of US-China-Japan Relations. Professor Yuan Ming is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and a member of its Foreign Relations Committee. She is a former Trustee of the Asia Society and sits on International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
Lee Hong-Koo was the Prime Minister of South Korea from 1994 to 1995 under President Kim Young-Sam. He is currently Chairman of The Seoul Forum for International Affairs in Korea. Dr. Lee has also served as the Deputy Prime Minister for unification dealing with relations between the divided two Korean states. He was a member of the Korean National Assembly and Chairman of the then ruling New Korea Party. Dr. Lee was the Korean ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1991 to 1993 and to the United States from 1998 to 2000. Dr. Lee is a Trustee of the Asia Society.
Toyoo Gyohten was Japan’s Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs and is currently President of the Institute for International Monetary Affairs and a Senior Advisor of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi. He has also served as Chairman of the Bank of Tokyo, Chairman of the Institute of International Finance, and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Japan. Mr. Gyohten is a member of numerous institutions, including the Bretton Woods Committee and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the co-author of Changing Fortunes with former US Federal Reserve Chairman, Paul Volcker. Mr. Gyohten is a Trustee of the Asia Society.
Ronnie C. Chan is the Co-Chair of the Asia Society and Chairman of its Hong Kong Center. He is also Chairman of Hang Lung Group Limited and its subsidiary Hang Lung Properties Limited. Both are publicly listed companies in Hong Kong, dealing in real estate and property investment, development and management. Mr. Chan also co-founded the privately held Morningside group which, in the past two decades, has owned and managed businesses in several sectors including manufacturing, media, healthcare, online gaming, and high-tech and biotech. (Moderator)