Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte to Address U.S.-Asia Pacific Issues at April 11 Conference
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) April 2, 2008 -- Implications of national leadership changes in South Korea and Taiwan, turmoil in China's Tibetan population, and trade tensions with Asia Pacific countries are among the topics to be examined by a high level conference in Washington on April 11. Featuring appearances by senior foreign policy experts and officials including Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of Defense James Shinn, the large gathering is being organized by the United States Asia Pacific Council, a body of distinguished Asia-focused Americans convened under the auspices of the East-West Center.
The Center's President, Dr. Charles E. Morrison, hopes the conference will draw the attention to the growing importance of Asia to the United States as well as highlight issues in U.S. policies toward the Asia-Pacific region. "Given the unprecedented economic and political changes that are taking place there," he said, "the region requires high and sustained attention, not only from policymakers, but also from businesspeople, media, and educators." The Asia Pacific region, he notes, accounts for 57% of the world population, a third of all U.S. foreign trade, and two-thirds of global financial reserves.
The impacts of Asia's new wealth and global influence will be a prominent topic for debate by speakers such as Fred Bergsten, Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Stephen Roach, Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, and Carla Hills, former U.S. Trade Representative. Congressional initiatives that could affect U.S. foreign policy in the region will also be topic for debate among senior Congressional staff.
The annual conference has become the largest regular conference activity in Washington on general issues in U.S.-Asian relations and attracts about 200 participants and guests from the foreign policy community. It will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H Street, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 11. Online registration is available at -- http://www.eastwestcenter.org/go.php?2 -- through April 9.
For press credentials and further information, please contact Barbara Wanner at 202-327-9761.
The United States Asia Pacific Council was founded in April 2003 by the East-West Center with the support of the U.S. Department of State. It is a non-partisan organization composed of prominent American experts and opinion leaders, whose aim is to promote and facilitate greater U.S. engagement with the Asia Pacific region through human networks and institutional partnerships.
# # #