Young China Watchers announces partnership with Pacific Forum

Young China Watchers is pleased to announce our partnership with Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders (PFYL) program.

Since 2004, the Young Leaders Program has helped more than 1,500 emerging scholars and policymakers from 60 countries realize their full potential through mentorship, network building, academic opportunities, and attendance at senior-level security and policy discussions made available at Pacific Forum conferences and dialogues. In 2019, Pacific Forum offered 136 seats to Young Leaders at 19 Track 1.5 and Track 2 dialogues, seminars, and conferences in 8 countries. The network includes Young Leaders Chapters based in Hanoi, Honolulu, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington DC. Chapters host events throughout the year for Young Leaders and alumni to enrich their experience and expand their professional networks through exchange with peers and senior experts.

The partnership will see Young China Watchers and Pacific Forum working together to share best practices for managing chapters and events, both in-person and online. Young China Watchers editorial team will also be working with the Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders’ program to promote new voices on China on the YCW blog and amplify Pacific Forum content to help inform our membership. Both groups will also publicize relevant professional development opportunities to their members, such as Young China Watchers’ mentorship program and the Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders Program

Sue Anne Tay, Global Director of Young China Watchers and PFYL alumni, speaking on the partnership said,

“The Pacific Forum Young Leaders’ mission is very aligned with what YCW has set out to do. Founded in 2010, YCW seeks to bring together like-minded young professionals involved in China to connect and engage with more experienced experts. We’ve evolved from having in-person discussions to growing our mentorship programs to global conferences aimed at connecting our global community across more than 10 cities.

More than ever, YCW is well positioned to provide the necessary platform for dialogue and reflection around China’s increasingly complex role on the world stage. We’re proud to be partnered with a seasoned and well-respected partner in Pacific Forum.”

Ariel Stenek, Director of the PFYLP, said,

“Because YLP and YCW have much in common in terms of mission, scope, and people, this partnership is a natural fit and will greatly compliment our respective efforts to cultivate improved understanding and relations with China among the next-generation.

Pacific Forum is excited to formally partner with YCW to strengthen ties and broaden opportunities for those working to build a more peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region.”

Many Young China Watchers members are alumni of the Pacific Forum Young Leaders program. Alice Slevison, a member of the Young China Watchers Global Editorial Team and PFYL alumni said,

“A highlight of my membership was being invited to attend the Pacific Forum-S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ ‘Sixth Nuclear Experts Group’ meeting in Singapore in 2017 to participate in talks on Chinese nuclear energy. At that forum I met other PFYL from the Indo-Pacific, such as Jeffrey Ordaniel, June Park and Shawn Ho – who have all since gone on to become leaders in their academic fields.

Like YCW, the Pacific Forum is a place for young professionals who have a keen interest in understanding China’s role in the world to come together and share ideas – whether that be on our respective blogs or at events. I’m thrilled to see closer engagement between YCW and Pacific Forum.”

Applications for the Young Leaders Program are accepted on a rolling basis, and are reviewed twice a year after the April 30 and October 31 deadlines.