China is a major focus for new international outreach efforts at CITS. As a massive industrial world power with significant interests in high technology trade, China must be addressed in any strategy for promoting global trade security. CITS places a high priority on promoting security culture in China, and pursues this goal with training workshops, research, corporate outreach, and a specially tailored variant of the Security & Strategic Trade Management Academy.
CITS researchers dedicated a significant portion of the past summer to work in China. Director William Keller, Executive Director Scott Jones, and several researchers made trips to Beijing and Shenzhen, hosting workshops based on the Security & Strategic Trade Management Academy for an audience of industry and government officials.
Benefits of the CITS program in China
The China-focused program enables China’s businesses to deal effectively with the complexities of global strategic trade and stay competitive. CITS has developed a syllabus to provide the appropriate tools to expand high-tech export/import and overseas operations. Efforts to promote, institutionalize, and publicize security culture improve competitiveness and contribute to:
- Broader partnerships with national foreign entities
- Good reputation globally as a reputable and secure trading partner
- More accessible imports of high-tech equipment from a wide range of sources
- Participation in advanced international projects in science and technology
- Successful recruitment of better talent
Our Chinese partners
- China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has sponsored CITS workshops in China, and each year sends Chinese government officials to study with CITS in Athens and Washington, D.C. as MOFCOM Fellows.
- Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC)
- China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) has partnered with CITS to educate its employees on strategic trade control and design a state-of-the-art internal compliance program.
- China Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA) has collaborated with CITS on industry outreach, analysis of Chinese trade control, and the US-China Working Group on Strategic Trade.
- China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) participates in faculty exchanges with CITS as part of an inter-university cooperative agreement promoting international trade, global security, and US-Sino relations.
- One of the Center’s first Chinese partners, the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD) introduced CITS to key players such as CACDA and Norinco and hosted the first CITS China visit.
- Fudan University, an informal partner, has hosted several CITS lecturers, and vice-versa.
- Tsinghua University‘s nonproliferation working group has lent expertise to numerous CITS workshops and outreach events in China.
Recent CITS events in China
China is a perennial focus of CITS activity. Every year, the Center hosts two industry outreach events in China. This year’s events took place in Beijing and Shenzhen, with the assistance of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation and support from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). In addition to instruction from CITS experts, the events included presentations by industry and government representatives from both sides of the Pacific.
CITS also hosts annual executive training in Athens for a large delegation of Chinese industry representatives. Another yearly program is the MOFCOM Fellowship. MOFCOM Fellows are government representatives from licensing agencies in China who come to Athens for specific training, then spend time in Washington, D.C. meeting with their U.S. counterparts to share best practices.
Opportunities for international student exchange
Student program coordinator Chris Tucker (2nd from left) with SLP students David Heenan and Nick Mizaur and BIT students Wanxing Su and Xiaokang Cheng.
The close relationship between CITS and our partners in China creates unique opportunities for student enrichment. Every year, two undergraduates from the Security Leadership Program receive five-week internships with the Center’s Chinese partners. They also attend CITS events in China, giving them the opportunity to meet and network with international businessmen and officials involved in security policy.
This year also marked the beginning of a symmetrical exchange, with two students from the Beijing Institute of Technology joining counterparts at the University of Georgia for classes at CITS and its parent department, the School of Public and International Affairs.
