CUSEF Blog

I left China with a level of hope I was not expecting. There was honesty and humility surrounding the discussions about China’s shortcomings. On the other hand, I was impressed with the vision the Chinese people have for the future of their country. Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a strong need for international cooperation in many facets; intriguingly, while some have pushed back against maintaining interconnected supply chains, these linkages could be the key to a cohesive world response. Lillian Claire Appling who joined one of our 2015 student delegations offers her scholastic assessment of how cooperation between nations could actually support supply chain resiliency in a post-pandemic world. Read her full essay here. Read More

Coming and witnessing the incredible development of China with my eyes was thereby a long-awaited opportunity. This trip allowed me to better grasp China as a whole. These considerations and more broadly first-hand experience of this trip to China will constitute a reference point and a source of reflection for the future. As a leader, I hope I will be better equipped to understand and react to upcoming changes in world power dynamics following this exposure trip to China. These 10 days have allowed me to gain a unique insight into Chinese culture, way of thinking and strategic priorities which I am sure will allow us to improve cross-cultural understanding and cooperation for the years to come. Read More

I’m grateful for the opportunity to cap my John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University studies with a visit to China, especially at a time of diplomatic tension, as our two countries negotiate over trade. Over the course of ten days, our group of 18 students visited the prosperous metropolises of Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Each city’s population dwarfs that of the cities we are accustomed to in the United States. For example, the population of Shanghai is over 26 million versus 8 million for New York City. Beijing and Shanghai have a greater population than the nation of Kazakhstan! This visit has left me impressed by China’s progress, increased my appreciation for the United States of America, and highlighted the importance of building mutual cultural understanding. Read More

Towards the end of July, one of our African-American student groups became the first CUSEF student tour to travel to Gansu, spending nine days in the provincial capital of Lanzhou after their initial visit to Beijing. The students, hailing from schools in the Peralta Community College District explored the cultural and natural highlights of Gansu. Hosted at Lanzhou University, the delegation visited the Zhongshan Bridge, the Gansu Provincial Museum, and the Dunhuang Research Academy. In addition to these experiences, the students also participated in a variety of cultural workshops from engaging with Chinese opera in the Shaanxi style to practicing the art of Tibetan Buddhist painting known as Thangka painting, engaging first-hand with the rich cultural diversity that has become a hallmark of Gansu province. Read More