The Bi-Weekly 5 | SUMMIT ALERT 🚨 🚨
In our last bi-weekly before our annual summit, know everything you need to know about it!
Welcome to the last bi-weekly newsletter before the summit! Here are all the details related to the summit, from the speakers to what will be discussed in the panels. If you are in a time crunch, don’t worry! Right below you are the “all you need to know about our event”: Where is it happening? What are the different panels? When do they start?
📝 Everything You Need To Know: A TL;DR
If you are short on time, here is everything you need to know.
Firstly, before anything else, if you haven’t already, please register here for the event.
Now, enjoy the summary!
1️⃣ Saturday
Location: Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook St (New Watson Center)
📌 9:45 AM: Keynote Speech
Listen to Keynote Speaker Xiao Geng, Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of International Finance, as he discusses geopolitical tensions with China, its macroeconomic policy, China’s global ambitions, economic trajectory, advice regarding students interested in beginning a career in finance or policy, and more. There will be 20 minutes at the end for Q&A, so come prepared with questions!
📌 11:00 AM: Tech Panel
In this panel, learn from experts from policy, academia, and journalism about how China’s long-term vision fosters AI advancement, what lessons can be drawn from its approach, and how non-Western ethical frameworks might inform global AI governance!
📌 2:00 PM: Religion Panel
In this panel, from our amazing speakers, learn more about the diversity of religious groups in China, the history of each religion, the cultural traditions of practicing peoples, and the contemporary situation of religion in China!
📌 4:30 PM: Southeast Asian Panel
In this panel, learn more about how US-China relations have shaped the political, economic, and security landscape of Southeast Asia in modern times as our amazing speakers provide valuable perspectives on how Southeast Asian nations are adapting to evolving geopolitical pressures and what the future may hold in this complex global landscape!
2️⃣ Sunday
Location: Stephen Robert '62 Hall, 280 Brook St (New Watson Center)
📌 9:30 AM: Keynote Speech
Listen to Keynote Speaker Susan Thornton, Former Assistant to the Secretary of State and US Diplomat To China, as she discusses the development of US-China relations over the past three decades, key drivers of the current state of affairs, and advice for students wanting to begin a career in finance or policy. There will be 15 minutes at the end for Q&A, so come prepared with questions!
📌 10:30 AM: Finance Panel
In this panel, learn more about how the uniqueness of China’s financial system composed of a subsidiary central bank, a separate offshore currency, and a state-owned enterprise affects its financial markets, its evolution, and whether it can answer the “Trill-yuan” question of “Can China’s financial markets fuel its next era of growth?
📌 1:00 PM: Urbanization Panel
In this panel, learn more about the prolonged crisis surrounding the country’s property sector, examining the structural challenges, policy responses, and potential long-term implications through the amazing speakers!
Now, scroll down to learn more about the specifics!
📍 Saturday 9:45 AM: Keynote Speaker
Listen to Keynote Speaker Xiao Geng, Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of International Finance, as he discusses geopolitical tensions with China, its macroeconomic policy, China’s global ambitions, economic trajectory, advice regarding students interested in beginning a career in finance or policy, and more. There will be 20 minutes at the end for Q&A, so come prepared with questions!
🖥️ Saturday 11:00 AM: Tech Panel
In this panel, learn from experts from policy, academia, and journalism about how China’s long-term vision fosters AI advancement, what lessons can be drawn from its approach, and how non-Western ethical frameworks might inform global AI governance.
More About The Speakers:
Chuncheng Liu is a sociologist of knowledge and technology who studies the politics of data and classifications. As a current postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research New England, his research investigates how surveillance and classification systems shape society, particularly in China's social credit system, while also examining related technologies like contact tracing apps and AI tools.
Han Sheng Chia is a leader in evidence-based policy and humanitarian aid innovation, being the former VP of Innovation at GiveDirectly. Now, as an Advancing Evidence in Policy Fellow at the Center for Global Development, he works at the intersection of research and real-world decision-making, shaping how U.S. foreign aid leverages data for greater impact.
Kendra Schaefer is a partner at Beijing-based policy consultancy Trivium China, where she heads the company’s Tech Policy Division. She has also served as a key expert for heads of state and Fortune 500 companies on China tech issues. Her areas of research interest include AI, the data economy, and Chinese government digital infrastructure systems. She is also a non-resident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research.
Zeyi Yang is an award-winning journalist and senior writer at WIRED who specializes in the intersection of technology, business, and society in China. Yang brings deep expertise from his previous roles at MIT Technology Review and Protocol, with his work appearing in major publications, including Rest of World, Columbia Journalism Review, and Nikkei Asia. Beyond his technology coverage, he co-founded a Mandarin podcast that shares LGBTIQ stories in China.
☯️ Saturday 2:00 PM: Religion Panel
In this panel, from our amazing speakers, learn more about the diversity of religious groups in China, the history of each religion, the cultural traditions of practicing peoples, and the contemporary situation of religion in China!
More About The Speakers:
Fr. Robert Edward Carbonneau is a Passionist priest and Archival Specialist at the Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History at Boston College.
Dr. April Hughes is an Associate Professor of Religion, Religions of China at Boston University.
Dr. Mukaidaisi Muhetaer is a Postdoctoral Associate in Central Asian Studies as well as a lecturer in Anthropology at Yale University.
Dr. James Ross is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Jewish Studies at Northeastern University.
🌏 Saturday 4:30 PM: Southeast Asian Panel
In this panel, learn more about how US-China relations have shaped the political, economic, and security landscape of Southeast Asia in modern times as our amazing speakers provide valuable perspectives on how Southeast Asian nations are adapting to evolving geopolitical pressures and what the future may hold in this complex global landscape!
More About The Speakers:
Dr. Aarie Glas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Northern Illinois University and a faculty associate at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. He specializes in international relations, focusing on regional governance and conflict management in the Global South, particularly within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). His research has been published in leading journals, including the European Journal of International Relations and International Affairs.
Dr. Zhiqun Zhu is a Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bucknell University. He is a noted scholar on Chinese foreign policy, providing analysis for outlets such as NPR, Time, Deutsche Welle, South China Morning Post, and China Global Television Network. Dr. Zhu's research interests include U.S.-China relations, East Asian politics, and international political economy.
Dr. David B. H. Denoon is a Professor Emeritus of Politics and Economics at New York University, where he also served as Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations. Dr. Denoon is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. His government service includes roles as a program economist for USAID in Jakarta, Vice President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.
John D. Ciorciari is the Dean of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University. He specializes in international law and politics, with a focus on Southeast Asia, U.S.-China relations, and global governance. He has served as Deputy Director of the Office of South and Southeast Asia at the U.S. Treasury Department and as a senior legal advisor for the Documentation Center of Cambodia.
📍 Sunday 9:30 AM: Keynote Speaker
Listen to Keynote Speaker Susan Thornton, Former Assistant Secretary of State and US Diplomat To China, as she discusses the development of US-China relations over the past three decades, key drivers of the current state of affairs, and advice for students wanting to begin a career in finance or policy. There will be 15 minutes at the end for Q&A, so come prepared with questions!
💰 Sunday 10:30 AM: Finance Panel
In this panel, learn more about how the uniqueness of China’s financial system composed of a subsidiary central bank, a separate offshore currency, and a state-owned enterprise affects its financial markets, its evolution, and whether it can answer the “Trill-yuan” question of “Can China’s financial markets fuel its next era of growth?”.
More About The Speakers:
Haoning (Neo) Wang is a Managing Director at Evercore Group L.L.C. and Head of China Macro Research. He is a bilingual sell-side professional specializing in China macroeconomics and a founding member of Evercore ISI, a globally recognized financial institution.
Professor Zhiguo He is the James Irvin Miller Professor of Finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a financial economist whose expertise covers financial markets, financial institutions, and macroeconomics broadly, with specialty knowledge of Chinese financial markets.
Ms. Liqian Ren is the Director of Modern Alpha at WisdomTree Asset Management. Her background is in quantitative investing and experience managing active funds. She is also an expert on the Chinese markets, hosting the China of Tomorrow Podcast and co-hosting the Wharton Business Radio show "Behind the Markets."
🏙️ Sunday 1:00 PM: Urbanization Panel
In this panel, learn more about the prolonged crisis surrounding the country’s property sector, examining the structural challenges, policy responses, and potential long-term implications through the amazing speakers!
More About The Speakers:
Saul Wilson is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs. He studies the politics of urban development and land property rights during China's rapid urbanization, focusing on the Chinese state's efforts to establish itself as a monopolist "landlord state." His broader research agenda explores municipal politics in China, seeking to understand how leadership and institutions have shaped local politics.
Dr. Bing Wang is an Associate Professor in the Practice of Real Estate and the Built Environment at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. She is a faculty co-chair for the Real Estate Management: Design, Finance and Leadership program, a joint Executive Education program between the Harvard GSD and Harvard Business School, and a faculty co-chair for the Advanced Real Estate Development program, the GSD’s advanced education for senior real estate executives.
Wen-Chi Liao is an Associate Professor of Real Estate and Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Academic) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School, National University of Singapore. He is also an affiliated Visiting Associate Professor at MIT Center for Real Estate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wen-Chi’s research areas include urban economics, real estate economics, housing economics, applied spatial econometrics, economic development, and transportation economics.
Dr. Kaiji Chen is an Assistant Professor in economics at Emory University and a research fellow at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. His research areas are macroeconomics and financial economics. His current research focuses on the financial aspects of macroeconomics and government fiscal policies, with a special interest in China’s macroeconomy.
🎬 MCM Event: Love is Stronger Than Witchcraft
Are you interested in animating? Chinese animators? Or even enjoy watching short animated movies? If so, join the Department of Modern Culture and Media and East Asian Studies for “Love is Stronger Than Witchcraft” for a screening of short animations and a discussion with Chinese animator Lei Lei on the 6th, from 5 pm to 7.30 pm at MacMillan Hall Room 117!
Wow, you read the entire thing— that's so impressive.
Anyways, it’s less than four days before our summit. We have had so much fun planning out the entire thing, and we are really excited to be bringing this highly anticipated summit to you all! With Trump sanctioning China, and China hitting Washington right back with their sanctions, US-China relations are again firing up, this is a great opportunity to learn more about China.
If you have any questions, we are always here, so email us at china-summit@brown.edu, or ask our members. Quick, before you go, one final poll— you have to get this right.
When is our summit?
Congratulations if you said March 8th to March 9th!
Do you remember where it is as well?
If not, don’t sweat, because it’s at Stephen Robert '62 Hall, the New Watson Center!
Again, we had so much fun planning this out, and we hope to see you all soon!