Recollections: China Past and Present
VIEW EVENT DETAILSDinner discussion with Nicholas Platt, former U.S. Ambassador, President Emeritus, Asia Society and author, China Boys and Ronnie C. Chan, Asia Society Co-Chair
Richard Nixon's trip to China in 1972 was a critically important moment in the early history of the Sino-American rapprochement. Nicholas Platt accompanied President Nixon on the week-long visit, and was stationed in Beijing the following year upon the opening of the U.S. Liaison Office, the forerunner of the U.S. Embassy in the PRC. Forty years on, China specialist, Asia Society President Emeritus, and author of China Boys: How U.S. Relations with the PRC Began and Grew, Ambassador Platt will discuss life in China prior to the country's opening up to the outside world, and his thoughts on the world’s second-largest economy, in a dialogue with Asia Society Co-Chair Ronnie C. Chan.
Ambassador Nicholas Platt began his career in Asia as a China analyst at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong. During his 34-year foreign service career, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, the Philippines and Pakistan. He was at the helm of the Asia Society for 12 years before becoming President Emeritus in 2004. Educated at Harvard College and The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Ambassador Platt is a member of the New York Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Friends of China Heritage Fund.
Ronnie C. Chan is Co-Chair of the Asia Society and Chairman of the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. He is Chairman of Hang Lung Group and its subsidiary, Hang Lung Properties, publicly listed companies in Hong Kong dealing in real estate and property investment, development and management. He also co-founded the privately held Morningside group, which has owned and managed businesses in several sectors including manufacturing, media, healthcare, high tech and biotech.