May 7, 2001

Contact: Dr. Michael Launius (509-963-2378, fax 509-963-1134, email: launiusm@cwu.edu)

Ellensburg, WA - With the recent downing of the U.S. military spy plane in China, much attention has been focused on the state of relations between the two countries. Central Washington University will host a free, public "China in the 21st Century" lecture series this week, designed to help students and community members learn about China.

"This series celebrates the recently established exchange agreement between our Asia/Pacific Studies Program and the Northeast Asian Studies Institute of Peking University in China," Dr. Michael Launius, director of the CWU Asia/Pacific Studies Program, says. Last year, Launius and professor Bang-Soon Yoon, who teaches political science and women studies at CWU, lectured in China. This year, it will be two of Peking University's foremost scholars visiting Central, Launius notes.

The first lecture, titled "Imperial China and the International System of Northeast Asia," will be held Tuesday, May 8, at 2 p.m. in Black 151. Song Chengyou, history professor and director of the Northeast Asian Studies Institute, will lead the presentation.

Wednesday, May 9, history Professor Niu Dayong, executive vice dean of the Peking University graduate school, will discuss "China's Prospects: From 20th Century History to the 21st Century." It will be held at 3 p.m. in Grupe Center.

The series is co-sponsored by the Asia/Pacific Studies Program and Office of International Studies and Programs, with additional financial support from the Leonard Thayer Grant Program and through a CWU Faculty Senate Faculty Research and Development Grant.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-2408, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-3323.

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