Liu: Universities are ‘binding force’ for cooperation

Vice premier of China presents keynote for US-China University Presidents Roundtable at Rice

In her keynote address for the U.S.-China University Presidents Roundtable at Rice University June 22, Madame Liu Yandong advocated for a new model of relations between China and the United States. Liu, vice premier of the People’s Republic of China, emphasized person-to-person contact as a key to the continued growth of cooperation between her country and the United States, and she said universities will play a greater role in carrying civilization forward.

Liu addressed more than 50 American and Chinese university presidents who gathered at the Baker Institute for Public Policy for the roundtable co-hosted by Rice and the China Scholarship Council. She touched upon topics she planned to discuss with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry in meetings later in the week.

Madame Liu Yandong (center), vice premier of the People's Republic of China, stands with Rice University President David Leebron, University Representative Y. Ping Sun, and Chinese students and scholars and their parents and other guests upon her arrival at Rice University on June 21. Liu delivered the keynote address at the U.S.-China University Presidents Roundtable June 22. Photo by Jeff Fitlow

Liu is one of China’s four vice premiers; her portfolio includes oversight of health, education and sports. She is the “most visible and well-known” woman in the country, Rice President David Leebron said in his introduction.

“Countries are becoming more and more interdependent,” Liu said. “We want peace, not wars. Development, not poverty, and cooperation instead of confrontation. This is the shared aspiration of people across the world. In order to achieve our own development and rise up to the world’s common challenges, we believe that it is important that we come up with a fair, inclusive and sustainable post-2015 development agenda. We need consensus and concerted actions of the international community as a whole.

“The building of a new model of major country relations between China and the United States serves the common interests of both peoples and reflects a trend of our times for win-win cooperation,” Liu said.

“As the dream workshops of ideas and reservoir of strategies, universities can help to extend the boundary of human thinking, and they’re playing an increasing role in mapping out development blueprints and enhancing strategic, mutual trust between countries,” she said. “I believe that universities are pioneers for people-to-people exchange between our two countries, and also the binding force for China-U.S. relations.”

Liu stressed that cooperation between universities on both sides of the Pacific is important to maintaining a win-win scenario for both nations. She noted the “remarkable changes” since the first 52 Chinese students came to America days after the nations began to normalize relations in the ’70s. Since then, she said, more than 3.5 million Chinese students have studied abroad, more than 1.4 million of them in the United States.

Madame Liu Yandong greets Chinese students and scholars and their families outside Lovett Hall upon her arrival at Rice University June 21. Photo by Jeff Fitlow

She had four suggestions for the presidents and chancellors at the roundtable.

“First, I hope the universities in both countries will strengthen cooperation on personal development, scientific research and serving society,” she said, noting China has the most scientists, while the U.S. leads the world in science innovation. “Our interactions in talent development, resource and innovation will surely boost the development of higher education.”

Second, she expressed a hope that universities will contribute their intellectual heft to bigger issues between the nations. “Between people and countries, it is only natural to have differences and disagreements. This requires Chinese and U.S. universities to fully play the role as think tanks and recognize the defining features and overriding trends in U.S.-China relations, raise more constructive suggestions, encourage all walks of life in both countries to have a balanced view of each other and dispel misgivings and misreading, so that bilateral relations will avoid detours as much as possible.”

Third, Liu said universities should “enhance the capability of students to engage in cross-cultural communication” by maximizing opportunities for short- and long-term exchanges. She said institutions must “nurture in them the spirit of humanity and the sense that the entire world constitutes a community of shared destiny.”

Finally, she expressed hope that China and the United States can serve as models of cooperation for the world. “I hope our universities will contribute to the continuity, innovation and harmony of all civilizations,” Liu said. “For many of the problems confronting mankind today, we find answers through dialogue, interactions and cooperation among various civilizations. Universities are resourceful in knowledge and culture. They are where different ideas and cultures meet and merge with each other. Universities act as pioneers for human progress.”

Following Liu’s address, four presidents – Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University, John Sexton of New York University, Lin Jianhua of Peking University and Leebron – offered comments.

‘We want peace, not wars. Development, not poverty, and cooperation instead of confrontation. This is the shared aspiration of people across the world.’ — Madame Liu Yandong

Qiu was delighted to note both Liu and Chinese President Xi Jinping are alumni of his institution. He also mentioned a Harvard study that held Tsinghua as an example of a university that “has benefited from U.S.-China exchanges, especially talent exchanges.”

Sexton noted that universities “have always … operated beyond boundaries because thought operates beyond boundaries. The notion of creating greater Sino-American cooperation among universities is also wise because it institutionalizes, it makes permanent, the roads of people-to-people cooperation, and it leads to deep connections because it’s not just a casual social connection that’s born; it is a connection of thought and spirit.”

Lin added, “I felt Madame Liu really helped us to set a tone for future Sino-U.S. university cooperation. I believe such a model will help us to understand the needs of each other in a more profound way and to unleash more potential.”

In his concluding remarks, Leebron said, “We see great progress ahead on supporting innovation and collaboration among our two countries which will solve many problems. Everything we do to nurture the spirit of humanity and shared values … perhaps needs more of our attention as we go forward.”

Liu began her visit to the United States in Pittsburgh before coming to Houston. Also on her agenda are the sixth round of the China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (as joint chair with Kerry) and remarks at the seventh China-U.S. Women’s Leadership Forum, both in Washington, D.C.

After the keynote address, the presidents and chancellors discussed the value of a liberal arts education, new frontiers for research collaboration and ways to improve cooperation among institutions during roundtable sessions at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business.

The day before the roundtable, participants were welcomed to Rice with banners at Lovett Hall. They toured the campus and then attended a banquet co-hosted by Leebron, University Representative Y. Ping Sun and China Scholarship Council Director-General Dr. Liu Jinghui. The invitation-only event included Chinese dignitaries and members of the Houston and Rice communities.