U.S.-China CPE Cooperation on Culture

On April 12, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong hailed the importance of people-to-people engagement during the second annual U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE). The CPE aims to enhance and strengthen ties between the citizens of the United States and China in the areas of culture, education, sports, science and technology, and women’s issues.

China is a major focus of interest for U.S. artists and arts professionals, as well as organizations that carry out exchanges for young leaders designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding. The CPE celebrated a number of successful cultural programs over the past year and looked ahead to coming exchanges as a means to further enhance cultural ties. Highlights included:

• Youth Outreach: In 2012, the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs will support a number of performing and visual arts programs to connect with young Chinese audiences outside of major urban areas. DanceMotion USA will send the contemporary dance company, the Trey McIntyre Project, to China for a series of performances, workshops, master classes, and stage and arts management sessions. The visual arts program “smARTpower” intends to send an American artist to collaborate with Chinese youth and local artists in the creation of community-based projects.
  
• Cultural Forum: The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) hosted the second U.S.-China Cultural Forum at the University of California, Berkley, October 15-16, 2010. The forum provides important opportunities for U.S. and Chinese humanities scholars to cooperate, and NEH extended its agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Culture to continue the forum for five more years.
  
• Museums/Libraries: Programs supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Smithsonian Institution, and the American Association of Museums are facilitating the sharing of information and best practices between U.S. and Chinese museum and library management professionals.
  
• Private-Sector Engagement: The Department of State encourages U.S. private-sector organizations to share the best of U.S. culture and society with Chinese audiences. A number of organizations made presentations at the CPE, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Rodeo China, the American Council of Young Political Leaders, the Ivy Council, and Asia Society.