CCIEE Chairman Zeng Peiyan Meets With Former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger

CCIEE Chairman Zeng Peiyan Meets With Former US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger

On March 18, Zeng Peiyan, Chairman of CCIEE, met with Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US  Secretary of State. Zhang Xiaoqiang, Permanent Vice Chairman of CCIEE, Ambassador Chen Naiqing, Vice President of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Joshua Cooper Ramo, Vice President of the Kissinger Associates were also at the meeting.

Mr. Zeng spoke highly of Dr. Kissinger’s contribution to promoting Sino-US relations continuously. He said that as the most renowned diplomat and expert in international affairs, Dr. Kissinger made historical contribution to Sino-US relations for many years. The  Sino-US relations are perhaps the most important bilateral relations in the world and thus, how they will develop will produce great influence not only on China and US, but also the world as a whole. Although the two countries are different in many ways, such as their values, institutions and cultures, they share similarities and have reached consensus in some aspects. The current Sino-US relations remain stable, the economic and trade relations between the two nations are becoming increasingly closer. Furthermore, the two have made new progress in military cooperation and other important fields.

Dr. Kissinger analyzed the difference between present and previous Sino-US relations. In terms of the old Sino-US relations, the two countries knew where the problems are and how to solve them but now, it is difficult to find solutions to existing problems. He also believes that the difference between the two countries require joint solutions and efforts. China and the US can accumulate more experience during this problem-solving process.

Mr. Zeng believes that experience can be accumulated but the real difficulties in solving problems between the two countries is lack of mutual trust, therefore, how to strengthen mutual trust is worth studying. Dr. Kissinger expressed that CCIEE has made significant contribution to economic research and exchanges and has provided a platform for people from the US and China to tackle problems in increasing mutual trust.

Mr. Zeng pointed out that CCIEE devoted itself to offer intelligence support to China’s reform, opening-up and innovation. In the future, more exchanges between Chinese and international experts and scholars need to be conducted. The Global Think Tank Summit, initiated and hosted by CCIEE, has attracted worldwide attentions and got widely recognized at home and abroad. The Fourth Global Think Tank Summit will be hosted by CCIEE this June. Dr. Kissinger has delivered keynote speeches in the past three summits and Mr. Zeng hopes that Dr. Kissinger can take part in the fourth summit and discuss world economic development with Chinese and international experts and scholars, CEOs and heads of renowned think tanks.

Dr. Kissinger highly evaluated the Global Think Tank Summit and sees it as an excellent platform for exchanges among global think tanks. The role and impact of the summit is truly international and the summit has gathered global consensus, offered recommendations on global issues and made important contributions to promoting balanced development in global economy. He thanked Mr. Zeng for his invitation and will consider it seriously.

At the end, the two also exchanged their views on issues like 2016 US election and cooperation between CCIEE and Kissinger Associates in the research of Sino-US economic and trade issues.