Arsenault Family Foundation China Holds China-U.S. Scholars Dialogues

From June 22 to 24, 2026, Arsenault Family Foundation China (AFF China), organized a delegation of U.S. experts from the diplomatic and academic communities to participate in dialogues with senior representatives from Chinese academia, think tanks, and government departments.

The first dialogue was held on June 22 with the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS). The discussion focused on the long-term outlook for bilateral relations following the China-U.S. leaders’ summit in May, as well as shifting power dynamics, and risks of conflict, particularly in trade and technology.

On June 23, the delegation held a separate dialogue in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, with Chinese experts from think tanks, universities, and government agencies, such as China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Renmin University, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC). The discussion explored challenges and opportunities in advancing the Constructive Strategic Stability based on the principles of fairness and reciprocity, a diplomatic framework agreed upon by President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the leader’s summit in May 2026, to manage U.S.-China relations. Lu Kang, Vice Minister of IDCPC, delivered the keynote speech. Mr. Howard Dean, former Governor of Vermont, delivered the U.S. welcome address virtually.

On June 24, the delegation participated in the 10th China-U.S. Civil Peace Forum, organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD), hosted by Wenzhou-Kean University, and supported by the Wenzhou
Municipal Government. The forum aimed to broaden channels for people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States and to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries. IDCPC Vice Minister Lu
Kang delivered the keynote speech at the forum. Opening remarks were given by Marcel Arsenault, Founder and CEO of PAX sapiens, via video message; Zhang Wenjie, Mayor of Wenzhou; and David Rank, Senior Fellow at the Center for
American Progress and former Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

The meeting series provided a platform for dialogue between Chinese and American experts and helped advance practical exchanges on managing differences, reducing risks, and identifying areas for constructive engagement. Destabilizing forces may come from overlapping domestic and global challenges, such as climate and energy pressures, AI and other technologies, and weakening international institutions. With these exchanges, U.S. and China continue to build bridges between specialists who understand the other country through direct experience.