May 18th, 2017

(From www.chinareports.org.cn, correspondent Li Chuanjun) On the evening of May 17, Mr. Xiao Wunan, Executive Vice Chairman of Aisa Pacific Exchange & Cooperation Foundation, met with Dr. Charles Morrison, former Chairman of the East and West Center of the University of Hawaii, in Beijing. Both sides had broad and constructive discussions on Sino-US relations, the situation in the Asia Pacific region and reached consensus, agreeing to establish long-term cooperation in areas of mutual strength in the future.

The East and West Center, or the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, was established in Hawaii in May 1st, 1960. Its headquarters is located near University of Hawaii in Manoa. It is not only an exchange platform for Eastern and Western intellectuals, but also an international center for cultural exchanges between the East and the West. It is also one of America’s think-tanks with official background and important influence on the government decision-making.

Dr. Charles Morrison served as Chairman of the East and West Center from August 1st, 1998 to December 31st, 2016. He was extensively involved in policy education research in the United States and Japan as well as the organization and funding of dialogue projects. At the same time, he has long been involved in promoting the concept of the Asia Pacific community. In September 2005, he was elected as the international president of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). He is a founding member of the U.S. Asia Pacific Council, the U.S. National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation and a member of the U.S. Committee for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. He was a past chair of the U.S. National Consortium of APEC Study Centers and Co-director of the East-West Center-University of Hawaii APEC Study Center. A former director of the Center's Program on International Economics and Politics as well as a former U.S. Senate aide. He has also served as Research Adviser to two bi-national Japan-U.S. Commissions.

APECF has long been committed to the construction of Chinese think tanks and hailed as a pioneer of Chinese think-tanks. APECF has actively promoted cooperation and exchanges between Chinese and American think-tanks and has established long-term cooperation with Rand Corporation, the American Institute for Peace, the East and West Center, the Heritage Foundation, the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Peace Center, the Peterson Institute and other think-tanks, achieving fruitful results. APECF believes that through dialogue and collaboration between think-tanks, it can play an active role in exchanges and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations.