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Press Releases
China-United States Exchange Foundation Established to Promote Enhanced Relations between China and the United States
(Hong Kong, Monday, January 28, 2008) – A new non-government, non-profit organization, the China-United States Exchange Foundation, devoted to improving the relationship between China and United States, was officially launched in Hong Kong today. Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, Former Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR and current Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is the Founding Chairman of the Foundation. The Governing Board of the Foundation is comprised of a coalition of Hong Kong academics, professionals, and business and community leaders who share a long-term vision for strengthened China-United States relations.
Commenting on the establishment of the Foundation, Mr. Tung said, “The China-United States relationship is the single most important bilateral relationship of the 21st Century. A strong bilateral relationship between China and the United States is good for both countries and, indeed, the world-at-large.”
The China-United States Exchange Foundation has been established to improve communication and enhance understanding between the peoples of China and the United States. In particular, the Foundation will focus on helping the people of both countries recognize their many areas of common interest and to identify and develop additional areas of common interest.
The Foundation will do this by fostering open dialogue between opinion leaders from the governments, think tanks, academia, media and the business communities of both countries, particularly dialogue based on Foundation-supported research.
Through programs undertaken in partnership with institutions in China and in the United States, the Foundation will facilitate policy research, support academic exchanges and create platforms, such as conferences and seminars, to encourage the sharing and exchange of insights and opinions from public- and private-sector representatives on issues relating to China-United States relations.
The Foundation's source of funding is presently derived from the support of individuals and corporations in Hong Kong who share the Foundation's commitment to fostering stronger relations between China and the United States.
Hong Kong has always had positive economic, financial, education, cultural and people-to-people relations with the United States. In the last ten years since the Mainland resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong, Hong Kong's understanding of and identity with the Mainland has greatly increased. At the same time, during those ten years, Hong Kong's relationship with the United States has also continued to deepen. It is for reasons such as these that Hong Kong today can play an effective role in improving understanding between the Mainland and the United States.
The Foundation has established an office in Hong Kong. Dr. Victor Fung Kwok King, Chairman of the Li & Fung Group, serves as the Vice Chairman of the Foundation. The Foundation has appointed Mrs. Clarie Lo as its Chief Executive Officer. Mrs. Lo previously served in a number of positions in the Hong Kong government and as President of the Paris-based inter-governmental organization, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing.
More information about the Foundation and its programs will be made available on the Foundation's website, www.cusef.org.hk, in the coming months.
For more information, please contact:
Mrs. Clarie Lo, Chief Executive Officer
China-United States Exchange Foundation
Tel: +852-2523-2083
Email: clarie.lo@cusef.org.hk
Yvonne Tung
Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +852-2963-6762
Email: yvonne.tung@bm.com
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