October 22, 2018 — Beijing, China
An AJC delegation has concluded a two-day visit to China.
“The U.S.-Chinese relationship is arguably the single most important bilateral relationship in the world,” said Shira Loewenberg, Director of AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute, who led the 15-member group. “At this time of raised tensions between our two countries, we believed our visit was important to show AJC’s concerns and our commitment to maintaining bilateral ties, especially in times of difficulty. The relationship between our two great nations is too important to let slide.”
The principal topics of discussion during the visit were: (i) the China-U.S. relationship; (ii) China-Israel ties; (iii) the North Korean nuclear issue (iv) and Middle East regional issues. Among the highlights of the visit was the delegation’s reception and dinner with U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad, his wife, and members of the U.S. Embassy team; a briefing with the Israeli Embassy to discuss the state of Israel-China bilateral links and ideas for their further growth and development; and an hour-long meeting with the Director General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the current state of U.S.-China relations, including the current escalation in tensions and prospects for a peaceful resolution to the trade dispute.
“Bilateral relations between Israel and China are rapidly expanding in many fields,” Loewenberg said. The close relationship is exemplified by the upcoming visit of Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan.
“The special relationship between the Chinese people and the Jewish people encompasses not only the history of World War II, when 20,000 European Jews were saved in Shanghai, but also extends to cultural commonalties that bring mutual respect and appreciation for our rich civilizational histories and cultures,” added Loewenberg.
AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute (API) was founded in 1989. It is the first such institution in the American Jewish community devoted exclusively to the region. The last API visit to China was in October 2017.
