I (Ren Wanlin/任晚林, third from the right) participated in the inaugural ACYD in Beijing and Shanghai in the Autumn of 2010. The ACYD played an important role in helping me to better understand China from an external perspective. The ACYD event was my first formal experience representing my homeland of China. Throughout the three-day conference, I discussed with my fellow Australian and Chinese delegates a variety of issues concerning China, including environmental pollution, cultural differences, geopolitics in the Asia and Pacific region. I found that through discussing these issues I was able to further deepen my understanding of these issues. After completing my Bachelor Degree in Beijing, I moved to Washington DC to pursue a Master of Arts in International Affairs at the American University, and I just graduated from AU in May 12, 2013. Since January 2013, I have started working as a Business Advisory Service intern (full-time) at the US-China Business Council. My work involves helping US business sectors to explore Chinese market, engaging with Chinese government, and interpreting policies that may relevant to U.S business operation in China.

I will move to Geneva in Switzerland in August 2013 to continue my academic pursuits in international economics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), and hopefully to obtain a PhD in International Economics from there after five years.