The Expanding Roles of Chinese Americans in U.S.-China Relations

"This book contains thirteen extremely valuable essays on the roles played by Chinese Americans as 'global players.' The editors and contributors stress that as individuals and as members of family, professional, and non-profit organizations, Chinese Americans have been patiently and effectively building bridges across the Pacific. By their example, they have shown that formal state-level affairs constitute only one aspect of U.S.-Chinese relations, and that non-governmental connections and exchanges have served to provide an element of stability in order to complement, and sometimes even rectify, the often tumultuous official relationship between Beijing and Washington. If the two nations are to succeed in developing a more stable and constructive relationship, the efforts of Chinese Americans-and their collaborators both in China and in the United States will prove of critical importance. In this sense, the significance of these essays transcends the binational relationship and points to the crucial roles that are being played by individuals of cross-national background and competence in coping with many grave issues facing the world today." - Akira Iriye, Harvard University