More than 100 Chinese American scientists and engineers gathered in the suburbs of Chicago on Saturday to communicate at the 26th annual conference of the Association of Chinese-American Scientists and Engineers (ACSE).
Addressing the conference at the opening ceremony, Minna Xiao, president of ACSE, said that under the principles of cooperation, development and contribution, ACSE's mission is to emphasize and promote science and technology-related activities to better serve the community and the society.
To promote U.S.-China cooperation and economic development is also a mission of ACSE. "We continued to promote healthy exchange and improved cooperation friendship and understanding between the U.S. and China in all aspects (in the past year)," Xiao said. Since its establishment, "ACSE has been an indispensable bridge to connect the two countries."
In a speech, Liu Jun, acting consul general of Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, applauded ACSE's long-lasting efforts in promoting economic and technological exchanges between China and United States in the past years, and urged it to contribute more to the friendship and mutual understanding of the people of the two countries.
"Technological development should serve the public good and welfare of the humankind," he reiterated.
Under the framework of U.S.-China Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology, scientists from the two countries have cooperated in more than 20 sectors including energy, environment, agriculture and basic sciences in the past years, Liu said.
Chinese American scientists are not only the witnesses to the scientific and technological cooperation and development between China and United States, but also the promoters and practitioners of this cooperation between the two countries, Liu added.
Under the theme of "Disruptors of the Next Decade", scientists exchanged views on such topics as blockchain and its impact on economic system, blockchain technology and regulation, materials innovation for better living, big data and applications, and cross-discipline innovation and entrepreneurship.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White sent congratulatory letters to the conference.
Founded in 1992, ACSE is one of the largest Chinese-American professional organization in the United States, as well as the most influential organization in the U.S. state of Illinois. It now has more than 6,000 members in 30 U.S. states. ACSE has 18 local chapters and 15 professional societies.
