Expert says China and US Should Enhance Public Diplomacy and Promote Strategic Mutual Trust

Recently, the Center for Research on Global Public Diplomacy of the National Academy of Development and Strategy of Renmin University of China held an expert lecture on the subject of “Chinese-U.S. Relations and Public Diplomacy: History, Current Status, and Future”. The guest speaker was Liu Yawei, Director of China Program in Carter Center and Adjunct Professor of political Science at Emory University. Wang Lili, Deputy Dean of NADS, RUC and Member of China Public Diplomacy Council Expert Committee presided over the lecture. Yin Heng, a full-time professor at the NADS, and Lin Jian, senior research fellow of NADS, together with more than 50 young students and scholars from both inside and outside the university participated in the event.

Professor Liu Yawei pointed out that from a historical perspective, China’s emergence as the world’s second-largest economy cannot be without the reform and opening up and establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. For 40 years, the leaders of both countries have actively promoted the development of Sino-U.S. relations in a positive direction. This will not only benefit China and the United States but also contribute to world peace and prosperity. At present, the core issue of Sino-U.S. relations is the lack of strategic mutual trust. Both China and the United States are in a state of suspicion and worry. This has led to a series of disputes and conflicts. Professor Liu believes that successful public diplomacy can effectively promote Sino-U.S. relations. For example, when Deng Xiaoping was invited by President Carter in 1979 to visit the United States, it completely changed the prejudice against the Chinese people the American people and the government held before. At present, frequent exchanges and interactions have been maintained between the Chinese leaders and the U.S. presidents, which will ave a positive effect on the development of Sino-U.S. relations. At the end of the lecture, Professor Liu pointed out that the key to China’s public diplomacy with the United States is to tell Chinese stories well.

Deputy Dean Wang Lili believes that the public diplomacy between China and the United States should tell a good story in China. First of all, it is necessary to promote diversified public diplomacy subjects, including government, enterprises, think tanks, and media; at the same time, it is necessary to strengthen cultural confidence and strengthen content construction; insisting on audience-oriented and fully study the American audience's lyrics toward China and listen to each other's voice. The public diplomacy between China and the United States must shift from the two sides' respective soliloquy to dialogue and cooperation. Only in this way can China and the United States strengthen strategic mutual trust.