The Washington State China Relations Council, the oldest state level organization devoted to improving ties with China, held its annual gala, virtually, on February 2nd. The highlight of the evening was a conversation between former Ambassador to China Gary Locke and the former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd. These two experts expressed their ideas about how the U.S. and China can cooperate as well as compete in the future. The robust discussion was followed by an audience question and answer session.
The Council was pleased to welcome Congressman Rick Larsen, (D WA 02) who addressed the more than 200 people at the virtual event. Representative Larsen shared his ideas about steps the U.S. must take to what the United States must do to manage its increasingly fraught relationship with China.
After the Council’s Executive Director Nor Coquillard reviewed the organization’s 2020 activities and 2021 plans, the Director of the Council Man Wang introduced the audience to the Council’s sister, charitable organization the Washington State China Relations Fund. Keeping with a Gala tradition, the Council awarded its 2021 Sidney Rittenberg Award for leadership in the advancement of Washington-China relations to former Council and long-time board member Gregg Rodgers.