Each year, Committee of 100 hosts an annual Conference and Gala, which serves as the preeminent event for those seeking insights on the state of Chinese Americans and the future of the U.S.-China relationship.

Held at the Marriot Marquis from May 5-7, 2022, the 2022 Conference and Gala was Committee of 100’s first in-person event in three years and was the most-attended Committee of 100 Conference and Gala held in Washington, D.C., with over 400 people in attendance.

From all across the U.S., distinguished academics, policymakers, philanthropists, and leading professionals gathered together for a night of celebration and two days of discussions, debates, keynotes, and networking sessions.

The Conference and Gala was co-chaired by Committee of Members Robert W. Gee, Maeley Tom, Shirley Wang, Walter Wang, and Charlie Woo.

Please feel free to view and download the PDF versions of the 2022 Conference and Gala programs here:

• May 5th: Gala Program
• May 6th: Summit Program
• May 7th: Town Hall Program

Thank you to our Members, speakers, sponsors, and attendees for making the 2022 Conference and Gala a resounding success.

On Thursday, May 5th, Committee of 100 hosted a black-tie gala and special award ceremony centered around the theme of “Trailblazers: Past, Present, and Future.” We were honored to have Emmy Award-winning television journalist Miya Shay as our Master of Ceremonies.

Following opening remarks by the Committee of 100 President Zheng Yu Huang and Committee of 100 Chair Gary Locke, the Gala began with a special Committee of 100 Founders Tribute to the late I.M. Pei and Shirley Young. With a sense of urgency to build bridges between China and the U.S., I.M. Pei teamed with Yo-Yo Ma, Henry Tang, Oscar Tang, Shirley Young, and Chien-Shiung Wu to recruit distinguished Chinese Americans from across the arts, business, academia, public service, and the sciences to serve on the Committee of 100. At the Gala, Pei and Young were honored and remembered by Founders Henry Tang and Oscar Tang, as well as by Founder Yo-Yo Ma via a virtual musical performance.

In addition to the Founders Tribute, it was our honor to announce the inaugural I.M. Pei Award with Committee of 100 Member Chien Chung (Didi) Pei and the Pei family. The I.M. Pei Award honors Pei’s legacy, paying homage to the principles and values on which his work was anchored – the commitment to infuse his work with profound humanity, and always with respect and consideration for the people and history of the space in which he worked.

Conference and Gala Co-Chair Walter Wang presented the first I.M. Pei award to Dr. Henry Kissinger. The founding of Committee of 100 emerged over thirty years ago from a conversation between Pei and Kissinger, with the idea of organizing an influential group of Chinese Americans to address issues of international concern between the U.S. and China. As the first recipient of the I.M. Pei Award, Dr. Kissinger is an embodiment of Committee of 100’s missions to build international bridges of dialogue and understanding.

Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom and Committee of 100 Member, was awarded the Committee of 100 Distinguished Service Award for Advancing Human Connectivity. As the world takes shape around this new Covid-era we are all living in, Zoom stood out as a model of productivity, creativity and ingenuity. Founder Eric S. Yuan helped unite the world in a time of crisis, helping to keep business moving, and bring families, friends and loved ones together. The award was presented by Conference and Gala Co-Chair Robert W. Gee, Founder Partner of AME Cloud Ventures, Co-Founder of Yahoo!, and Committee of 100 Member Jerry Yang.

Stop AAPI Hate was awarded the Committee of 100 Distinguished Service Award for Vigilance in Combating Hate Crimes & Violence. In a time of unprecedented hate and xenophobia directed towards individuals of Chinese and Asian descent, Stop AAPI Hate stood tall, pulling data and information to help drive action and end the violence. In that effort, Stop AAPI Hate became a beacon of hope and a model of leadership for not only the AAPI community but for other minority groups as well. Conference and Gala Co-Chair Maeley Tom presented the award to Vincent Pan, who accepted the award on behalf of Stop AAPI Hate.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was awarded the Committee of 100 Distinguished Service Award for Courage in Countering Racial Profiling. In a time of unprecedented hate and xenophobia directed towards individuals of Chinese and Asian descent, MIT stood tall, side-by-side with its academic leaders, who faced scrutiny and, in some cases, persecution for unjust and unproven reasons. MIT publicly supported and backed its leaders, treating them with dignity, honor, and compassion and became a beacon of hope for researchers and a model of leadership for academic institutions. Committee of 100 Member Tony Chan presented the award to the Associate Provost of International Activities at MIT Professor Richard Lester, who accepted the award on behalf of MIT. In addition to the award presentation, Dr. Gang Chen of MIT, who was falsely charged under the China Initiative, attended the Gala and was recognized by the audience.

Nathan Chen was honored with the Committee of 100 Trailblazer Award for Commitment to Excellence. An Olympic Gold Medalist, six-time U.S. Champion, and three-time World Champion, Nathan Chen embodies all that is great with the U.S. – opportunity, perseverance, and a commitment to achieving goals. Conference and Gala Co-Chair Shirley Wang presented the award to Alice Chen, the sister of Nathan Chen, who accepted the award on his behalf.

After the awards ceremony, attendees had the pleasure of watching an inspiring Fireside Chat with Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, United States Senator for Illinois, and Conference and Gala Co-Chair Charlie Woo.

Back to Top

From reshaping U.S.-China economic relations to discussing the collateral damage of the China Initiative, attendees had the opportunity to listen to thought-provoking conversations led by many key leaders and experts. The theme of this year’s conference was “Chinese American in the New Millennium: Heralding Today’s Achievements, Shouldering Yesterday’s Burdens.” Our goal was to highlight the contributions, challenges, and evolving roles of  Chinese Americans, as well as to advance the U.S.-China relationship.

To learn more about our Conference panels and speakers, please visit our Conference and Gala webpage.

For our Conference Opening Keynote, we had the pleasure of hearing from Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, U.S. State Department.

Our first panel discussed the political and economic relationship between the U.S. and China and the future of both countries. Speakers included moderator and Committee of 100 Member Ida Liu, Ambassador Craig Allen, Committee of 100 Member Wei-Sun Christianson, Robert Daly, and Melanie Hart.

Our second panel focused on how America’s ambassadors to China have been witness to significant challenges and opportunities. This candid conversation with the leaders who have served in this critical position highlighted lessons from the past that can help guide the U.S.- China relationship going forward. Speakers included moderator and Committee of 100 Member Dr. Cheng Li, Ambassador Terry Brandstad, Committee of 100 Chair Ambassador Gary Locke, and Ambassador J. Stapleton Roy.

As part of our Conference Luncheon, we were honored to be joined by Congressman Jamie Raskin, U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, for a discussion on AAPI’s contribution to the U.S. and ending hate in this country.

The third panel posed the question, “What can Asian Americans tell their children and the 30 million annual visitors to the museums and monuments on the National Mall, when they ask, ‘Where are we?’” The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center believes that this invisibility stops now and is working to create a dedicated Asian Pacific American Gallery in a Smithsonian museum on the National Mall. Speakers included moderator Dr. Anne Chao, Committee of 100 Member Handel Lee, Debbie Shon, and Dr. Yao-Fen You.

The final panel discussion of the day centered around the China Initiative and featured three falsely accused scientists. While the Department of Justice recently announced that it was ending the China Initiative, much more work needs to be done to ensure that all cases being prosecuted are based solely on evidence and not on perception. Speakers included moderator and Committee of 100 Member Brian Sun, Dr. Gang Chen, Ashley Gorski, Dr. Anming Hu, and Dr. Xiaoxing Xi.

Back to Top

To complete this three-day annual event, we presented two-panel discussions on two critical topics: Anti-Asian Hate and Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in public service.

In a time of historic increases in hatred, violence, and xenophobia directed toward individuals of Chinese and Asian descent, our first Town Hall panel discussed the rise in anti-Asian hate and ways to form a holistic response to the anti-Asian hate problem. Speakers included moderator and Committee of 100 Member Brian Sun, Marita Etcubañez, Committee of 100 Member Anna Mok, Vincent Pan, Harriet P. Schleifer, and Jo-Ann Yoo.

The last session of the Conference and Gala focused on the importance of Asian Americans entering public service. A growing AAPI population, perceptions of being the perpetual foreigner, and events involving hate acts and violence against the AAPI community have galvanized the need for action and representation in the corridors of power and influence. Speakers included moderator and Committee of 100 Member Chiling Tong, Conference and Gala Co-Chair Robert W. Gee, Senator Susan Lee, and State Representative Gene Wu.

We were honored to be joined by many longtime and new supporters as well as distinguished guests for our annual celebration in Washington, D.C this year. We want to extend a special thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting this special three-day event.

We hope that you continue to be engaged with Committee of 100. To stay updated, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

We look forward to seeing you in 2023 in San Francisco!

Back to Top