Wider collaborations key to future amid challenges

As the People's Republic of China celebrates its 75th anniversary, I am struck by the transformation that this country has undergone, which is likely one of the most profound changes in global history. Equally striking is China's unique and longstanding recognition of the global community of thinkers, innovators and educators. The people of this country are not only committed to progress, but they also recognize that their path from ancient roots to modern success is intertwined with the fabric of global cooperation and knowledge sharing.

I attended a reception in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Having visited over 90 countries, nowhere else have I seen such a wide appreciation for foreign expertise and knowhow. At the reception, I met a French scientist conducting cancer research in Beijing, a Madagascar-born engineering professor teaching at Nanjing University, and a Dutch-born Chinese history professor who divides his time between Cambridge University and Peking University. Many foreign experts, including myself, first visited China in the 1980s and have maintained a keen interest in China's revitalization.

My first trip to China was in 1981 as a Harvard Business School professor. Then, I discovered a poor nation but one eager to forge its own path, with welcoming people evoking the warmth of a rich and ancient culture. In the 1980s and 1990s, I traveled to China for economic and business discussions at government ministries in Beijing. Later, I served as the dean of China Europe International Business School in Shanghai from 2011 to 2013. I recently returned to China and am now the executive vice-chancellor of Duke Kunshan University, a research-oriented liberal arts and sciences institution in Kunshan, Jiangsu province.

Over the past 40 years, I have witnessed firsthand how China has undergone a significant and rapid transformation, lifting about 800 million people out of abject poverty and becoming the world's second-largest economy.

This transformation is also evident in the hallways of educational institutions. My university, Duke Kunshan University, is a global community with around 60 percent foreign faculty and 30 percent international students. These figures reflect the inclusive vision championed by Jiangsu province, China's Ministry of Education, and Kunshan and Suzhou — modern cities that also embrace their history amid the tranquility of ancient water towns.

The long arc of history that has guided this country from its inception to its current position is a testament to China's spirit and the world-changing innovations spawned by its 5,000-year-old civilization. The potential for the future — for China and the international community it influences — is equally fascinating.

One key to realizing this potential is transforming competition into collaboration, particularly between China and the United States. As leaders like President Xi Jinping and late US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger have emphasized, this mission requires mutual recognition of accomplishments, both economic and cultural.

Global collaboration can have a significant impact on our collective future, especially in the face of challenges like climate change, pandemics and the governance of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

President Xi has stated that the world can accommodate China and the US and that our successes provide opportunities for each other. If both sides focus on mutual appreciation, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, they can work out their differences. Kissinger also highlighted the importance of China-US relations in shaping world order and ensuring global peace and prosperity.

Academic and educational exchanges are critical during this complex period in our relationship. These help students — future leaders of their respective countries — understand and value international cooperation in addressing global issues. More incentives, such as scholarships and post-college employment opportunities in China, could encourage US students to study in China, providing them with a deeper understanding of its transformation and cultural complexity. These international students can become lifelong cultural ambassadors by sharing their firsthand experiences.

Joint research, academic and business conferences on global issues such as public health and environmental conservation are also beneficial. DKU has hosted international conferences on sustainable development, global health and green finance. Such forums and collaborations between China and the US can help combat pandemics, address climate change and advance human development.

Finally, as more Chinese businesses expand globally, international universities in China can help Chinese entrepreneurs and managers understand global markets. For example, DKU's executive education program combines business and leadership education with global insights via the Duke network — Duke Kunshan University, Duke University in the US, and Duke-NUS in Singapore — assisting Chinese companies to add value globally and compete at world-class levels.

In summary, the reception commemorating China's 75th anniversary was more than an event to recognize the contributions of foreign experts; it exemplified the ongoing recognition that incorporating global expertise into China's development will unlock the vast potential of shared human endeavors and advance China's future.

The author is executive vice chancellor and distinguished professor of social science at Duke Kunshan University in China and the John DeButts professor of practice at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in the United States. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.