Confucius Institute’s 2014 Great Discussion Series Lecture Features Former U.S. Ambassador to China

October 22, 2014

Retired U.S. Navy Admiral, and former U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Joseph W. Prueher

An audience of more than 200 people attended the Confucius Institute at Old Dominion University's 2014 Great Discussion Series lecture Tuesday evening to hear retired U.S. Navy Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, the former U.S. ambassador to the People's Republic of China, share his reflections on the Asian nation.

The event was held in the Ted Constant Convocation Center's Big Blue Room and attracted a near standing-room-only crowd. Admiral Prueher's talk, "Way Ahead with China... in Today's World," explored the rapid economic growth and demonstrated economic power that has made the nation a challenging subject.

Admiral Prueher told the audience to think about the relationship between the United States and China as a "protracted negotiation."

He peppered the discussion with historical background and personal anecdotes from his time in the Navy and as ambassador, from 1999 to 2001, to put the country's triumphs and challenges into perspective.

The Chinese "see their role now as a re-emergence of a great nation - not as a newcomer," Admiral Prueher said.

While the country has "blossomed a great deal" since 1978, China remains in a continuous state of change, he said, offering as examples how collective decision-making has eroded and its economic power has begun tapering off. He cited declining accessibility to clean water, vast corruption, widespread pollution and an aging population as significant challenges being faced by the Chinese people.

But he also noted that, despite common perceptions in the United States, it is now "very hard to find a communist ideologue in China. They are pragmatic and will do what works."

Admiral Prueher said the United States and China need to work together to help address the world's energy, water and stability issues.

"We've got to build habits of cooperation. The extreme voices on the left and right are not good. We need a coherent foreign policy," he said. "They want to work together. I'm hopeful we can get together and do things.