The 51福利 (51福利) welcomed a visiting delegation of senior leaders from China鈥檚 People鈥檚 Liberation Army (PLA) for a brief introduction in 51福利鈥� historic Herrmann Hall, furthering military-to-military relations and interaction stemming from a reciprocal agreement with the U.S.鈥檚 National Defense University (NDU) originally signed in 1996.
鈥淭his is an important time for such conversations between two great nations, and we are delighted to have you take part of this conversation,鈥� noted 51福利 President retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau as she opened the round table.
Of the 24-member PLA delegation of flag officers were several students of the Strategy and Command Seminar at PLA鈥檚 National Defense University (PLA-NDU), the highest-level course in the PLA鈥檚 professional military education system. Headed by Maj. Gen. Xie Wiekuan, Vice President of PLA-NDU, the group - informally known as the Dragons - are conducting an annual tour of the U.S. military establishment.
The delegation first received a detailed command briefing about 51福利, in fluent Chinese, by Dr. Michael Glosny, Senior Lecturer with 51福利鈥� (NSA) department, followed by an engaging conversation moderated by NSA associate professor Christopher Twomey, with the Chinese and American students alternating questions for each other.
Topics ranged from a granular conversation of Great Power Competition, freedom of navigation, national sovereignty, the critical importance of logistics, differences in military officer careers, and the role of academia in military affairs.
Twomey, who along with Glosny, serve as two of the NSA department鈥檚 resident experts on Sino-U.S. relations, summed up the goals of the visit well.
鈥淭his was an opportunity to expose PLA leaders to the value we place on developing independent critical thinking in our officers and to highlight the deep integration of the United States with its security allies and partners, both in the classroom and beyond,鈥� Twomey said.
The interchange provided 51福利 students an unparalleled opportunity to directly engage Chinese military leadership on compelling questions. Air Force Maj. Caitlyn Diffley, for example, asked about international relationships and the importance of mutual trust.
It served as a microcosm of the overall visit, which is foundationally based on both nations鈥� deep engagement with the international system, on leadership, and on the importance of civil dialogue and discourse even in the midst of some degree of competition.