On Sunday, January 15th, Project Pengyou hosted around 50 Johns Hopkins University (JHU) students and alumni, many of whom came from the Hopkins Nanjing Center and the JHU School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

The group of SAIS students are currently traveling in China, some for the first time, while attending a master’s class conducting research on the South China Sea. The research will culminate in policy recommendations with a goal to help stabilize US-China relations in the region. It was an informative and inspiring evening for all, and after a brief introduction to current state of affairs surrounding the issue, pockets of deep conversation could be heard throughout the room in both English and Chinese.

Dr. Carla Park Freeman, one of the distinguished faculty members to attend said, “Although the two systems (the US and China) seem incompatible in some respects, I think we’re dealing more with a difference in perspective that’s most definitely informed by national narratives.” She along with the other speakers warned that along with a difference in perception, national pride and emotions are often involved which can create a volatile situation.

That being said, the room was full of bright minds from both sides of the Pacific who care deeply about resolving these issues in a constructive way. There was an air of confidence that although drama sometimes surrounds the issue of the “nine-dash line”, the upcoming generation is hard at work and hopeful for a good solution.

It was great to see many friendly faces from the Hopkins Alumni Association in Beijing, and we look forward to future collaborations.

About the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

A division of The Johns Hopkins University, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC, is a global institution offering students a truly international perspective on today’s critical issues. SAIS China, the umbrella for all of SAIS activities involving China, is anchored by the China Studies Program in DC. The program features a superb faculty with considerable experience both within and outside academe, from work in government and multilateral organizations to NGOs and foundations. Courses range from Chinese leadership and foreign policy, economic and political reform, and human rights and law, to China’s environment, military, and growing involvement in Africa and beyond. SAIS China also encompasses The Hopkins Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies, the preeminent and longest running educational collaboration between the US and the PRC. In partnership with Nanjing University, the Center’s graduate programs offer students the opportunity to learn from top Chinese and international scholars in a bilingual and bicultural environment in China. SAIS students also have the opportunity to spend a year at Tsinghua University taking courses in English toward a dual MA degree from SAIS and Tsinghua. SAIS China offers unparalleled training for future leaders and thinkers who will address China’s evolving role in the world. Learn more: https://www.sais-jhu.edu/content/china-studies#overview