May 31st, 2016

(From TouTiao.com) In early May, 2016, Xiao Wunan, the Executive Vice Chairman of Asia-Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation, Anna Xiong, Founder and President of the Los Angeles Guangzhou Economic and Trade & Cultural Association, Han Yi, Director of the Architecture and Culture Society of China, and Zhuang Yamin, Vice Director of the International Cooperation Center of China Electronic Commerce Association, and others visited the School of Business Administration at theUniversity of California, Riverside (UC RIVERSIDE), University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (UC CAL POLY). They had a productive discussions with Ms. Zhang Manjun, the former Deputy US Secretary of Education and other educators and reached a broad consensus on how to enhance Sino-US education cooperation and signed a series of related agreements. In agreement with University of California, Riverside, they came to a consensus that it is beneficial for Asia-Pacific exchange and cooperation to build a strategic and cooperative partnership with the School of Business Administration at theUniversity of California, Riverside (UC RIVERSIDE). In particular, they co-founded the "Asia-Pacific Center for Development and Strategic Studies" in China's higher education institutions by creating an influential think tank with global outreach to discuss the major tasks of economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region, in order to promote prosperity and stability in the region. The cooperation between the International Cooperation Center of China Electronic Commerce Association and School of Business Administration of UC RIVERSIDE covers the new role of e-commerce in Sino-US bilateral trade relations and the development trend of cross-border e-commerce under the new economic environment and other topics. Further, they reached a high degree of consensus about cooperation in the promotion of personnel training, academic exchange as well as MBA, EMBA and short and mid-term certification and accreditation of courses. The agreement with California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (UC CAL POLY) determined how institutions like Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation and Architecture and Culture Society of China make full use of UC CAL POLY’s high quality teaching resources to create and explore new directions in the fusion of China traditional architectural culture and western design concepts in response to the anticipated great changes in the global construction industry.

Given the new world situation, Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation promotes Sino-US Cultural and Educational Cooperation, which is a major measure to open up a new situation of Sino-US relations. At the beginning of this year, Mr. Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of APECF, headed a delegation to California and had an in-depth exchange of views with US Congresswoman Judy May Chu, Mr. John Chiang, California State Treasurer, Mr. Ed Chau, a member of California State Assembly, and also received high recognition from government and relevant institutions in California. In the meantime, Mr. Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of APECF, visited University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and reached an agreement on establishing extensive exchanges as well as cooperation between the China Forum and UCLA. During the visit to UC CAL POLY, University leaders held a colloquium and reached a consensus in cooperation of on-the-job training with China in the future especially in architecture, tourism and agriculture and decided to start a package program in 2016. In the visit at the beginning of this year, Asia-Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation established good interactions with different education institutions as well as the community colleges. All believe that a new situation of Sino-US education exchange will be created through a series of cooperation.

The Sino-US relationship is of paramount importance to both countries. It not only influences the two sides but also exerts a decisive influence on the prosperity and stability in the Asia Pacific region and all over the world. Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation plays a positive, active and unique role in Sino-US relations for a long period. Over the past 20 years, APECF has promoted the development of Sino-US relations in different aspects such as politics, economics, culture, and education and has achieved fruitful results. It was recognized and praised by United States federal government, state governments, the US Congress, state assemblies, and many cities. Ed Royce, a member of the United States House of Representatives, US Congresswoman Judy May Chu, Michael D. Antonovich, a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Bob Huff, the California State Senate, New York state, Nebraska, California, Florida, Nevada and other governments praised Xiao Wunan who has made significant achievements in various fields such as education; Xiao Wunan has promoted exchanges and cooperation between China and Stanford University, New York University, Claremont University, Baylor University and other famous universities. Cultural exchanges have also proved very fruitful; APECF has promoted comprehensive cooperation between China and New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Nowadays there are Chinese art performances in Lincoln Center every month, which is a direct result of APECF’S continuous work. APECF is a pioneer in establishing bilateral artwork exchanges. APECF will soon make a “big move”, in the establishment of the Sino-American Cultural Exchange Investment Fund, in cultural exchanges, which has received high recognition from federal governments, the California state government, famous institutions in Sino-US culture and art circles, and numbers celebrities, all of which will be active participants in the fund. Since 2015, APECF has initiated an initiative of “Promote World Peace through Dialogue among Civilizations” which received an enthusiastic response all over the world. For example, the foundation held large-scale activities in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, New York, Paris, London, Milan and Beijing, with hundreds of political leaders and thousands of dignitaries from different countries, nations and cultural backgrounds joining in the activities , which became one of the most influential events worldwide that year. The United Nations paid high attention to this activity. Ambassador Arthur Kafeero, the Chef de Cabinet of the General Assembly of the United Nations, listened to the special report at UN headquarters in New York and said instantly that he would bring it into UN’s Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The Asia Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation is a non-government organization founded by dignitaries, renowned scholars, social activists, internationally influential enterprises, and research institutes in the Asia-Pacific region, which received extensive response and participation from different regions, fields and cultural backgrounds. APECF is one of the most influential international institutions worldwide.