美中全球议题对话项目

The virtual discussions of the U.S.-China Student Dialogue with students from Tsinghua University were one of the most meaningful parts of my spring semester. The sessions took place at different times, sometimes on Wednesday mornings and sometimes on Wednesday nights. Regardless of the time of day, or what else was happening in my life outside the dialogue, I looked forward to these conversations because they gave me a chance to step outside the normal pressures of school and daily responsibilities. For a few hours, I could simply focus on discussing important issues with students who were just as interested in them as I was.

The range of professors and experts who led the sessions made the dialogues especially valuable. Each meeting focused on a different topic, starting with readings and a lecture that allowed us to think about U.S.-China relations from several angles rather than boiling the relationship down to a single issue. They gave us enough structure to explore the complexity behind each subject, while still leaving room for students to bring in their own perspectives. To that end, what stood out to me most was the diversity of ideas that emerged at the end of each session. When the breakout groups came back together to present what they had discussed, each group often emphasized a different set of points. This was especially clear during our conversation on artificial intelligence (AI), which produced a wide range of viewpoints. Because AI is becoming increasingly central in both American and Chinese society, it was fascinating to hear how students from both countries think differently about its use. I found it particularly interesting that both sides agreed on the need for cooperation around governance, even as we approached the issue from very different standpoints.

One of the things I appreciated most was how quickly our breakout groups became comfortable with one another. Even though we were meeting virtually and had limited time, the conversations never felt forced. We were usually able to introduce ourselves, start with an icebreaker that revealed something about each other, settle in, and then move quickly into serious discussion. I think that ease came from a shared curiosity and eagerness to get into the topics at hand. What surprised me most, however, was the extent to which we were able to build familiarity and interpersonal relationships with many of the Tsinghua students in such a short amount of time. In total, we only spent around five hours together virtually, and our final meeting took place several weeks before the program began. Still, I feel that I am not entering the in-person dialogue completely blind. I have already met many of my Chinese counterparts, heard their perspectives, and learned small details about who they are. That makes me incredibly excited to meet them in person and continue the dialogue we have already begun.

Anton Khechoyan (SFS'28) is a student at Georgetown University studying science, technology, and international affairs with a minor in mathematics.