China on the World Stage – What it means for Texas and the United States

HOUSTON, TX – May 21, 2009 John Pomfret of the Washington Post will speak at a World Affairs Council program on Thursday, May 21^st about how China is slowly becoming more outspoken and increasing its global presence and influence.

The relationship between the U.S. and China will shape the outcome of many of the biggest challenges of our time: the global financial crisis, U.S. national security, and international climate change talks. With these major obstacles ahead, understanding China is essential to the success of the United States foreign policy strategy.

The program is sponsored by Continental Airlines, which now offers daily service to Shanghai, China in addition to its existing service to Beijing and Hong Kong.

Award-winning journalist John Pomfret is the editor of The Washington Post’ s Outlook section. He also maintains a blog for the Washington Post called Pomfret’s China.  He first went to China in 1980 as a student and lived in a 10x15 foot dormroom with seven Chinese roommates for 18 months. He reported from China for the Associated Press during the Tiananmen Square protests in the late 1980s and served as Beijing bureau chief for The Washington Post from 1998 until the end of 2003.

Pomfret has been a foreign correspondent for fifteen years covering conflicts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, Sri Lanka, Iraq, southwestern Turkey and northeastern Iran. During his career, he received several awards, including 2003's Osborne Elliot Prize for the best coverage of Asia by the Asia Society and 2007's Shorenstein Prize for coverage of Asia.

Pomfret attended Stanford University, receiving his B.A. and M.A. in East Asian Studies. The experiences he had when he attended Nanjing University in the early 1980s, and his perspective on China's rapid changes are narrated in his 2006 book Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China.

Event Details: Thursday, May 21^st Presentation 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Junior League, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane
Media Contact: Kirsten Davis, World Affairs Council media@wachouston.org (713) 522-7811

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The World Affairs Council presents all sides of current global issues, promotes better understanding of international relations and contributes to national and international policy debates. Membership is open to the public. Go to www.wachouston.org for more information.