EWI recently held its first Board of Directors meeting in China, engaging in a series of meetings and activities in Beijing and Qingdao from November 5-9, 2007. This was EWI’s first Board meeting in Asia, and the choice of China as the location for this historic meeting underscores EWI’s commitment to engaging fully with China as a partner in promoting world peace and security. While in Beijing, members of EWI’s Board met with senior Chinese government officials, including State Councilor and former Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. Councilor Tang received an EWI delegation at Zhongnanhai and discussed China’s relations with the United States and Europe, cooperation on energy security, and the nuclear situation in Iran.

The EWI Board also visited the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), where Mr. Xu Kuangdi, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC’s National Committee and former mayor of Shanghai, briefed the visiting delegation on key outcomes of the recent 17th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. In addition, EWI’s Board had a robust exchange of views with Chinese, American, and European experts on issues relating to globalization and energy security at two EWI seminars in Beijing. In Qingdao, the EWI delegation met with Qingdao Vice Mayor Hu Shaojun.