In August 2015, RCU’s School of Economics and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue at Columbia University (IPD) jointly hosted an international policy symposium in Beijing on “Exploring New Paths Toward Development: Experiences from China and Latin America.” Participants included delegates from Columbia University, the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, along with representatives from a number of other universities, research institutes, and central government agencies. RUC’s President CHEN Yulu attended the symposium and gave a speech, while RUC’s Dean of the School of Economics, ZHANG Yu, presided over the opening ceremony. In his speech, President CHEN noted that cultural exchange is a crucial constituent of Sino-US relations, in which cooperation between universities plays a vital role. Renmin University and Columbia University have enjoyed a strong partnership in the past, whether in promoting research exchanges and collaboration, carrying out collaborative projects in China and the United States, or tackling issues of common and global concern. Considering the increase in bilateral trade and Latin America’s rapidly becoming an important overseas investment partner for China, President CHEN expressed his optimism regarding the promise of increased Sino-Latin American economic relations. President CHEN noted that the Sino-Latin American experience served as an important reference point for developing effective policy down the road; further, he expressed hopes that the research and policy ideas developed during the symposium by experts and scholars from around the world would promote global economic development and contribute toward global stability. As part of the opening ceremony, Nobel Prize winner and IPD Chairman Joseph Stiglitz addressed the symposium in a video, thanking President CHEN Yulu and expressing appreciation for the friendship between Columbia and RUC. Professor Stiglitz introduced his initiative for policy dialogue, “The Post-Washington Consensus Consensus,” in which he argues that Latin America’s “lost decade” can partly be attributed to the Washington Consensus. Latin America’s economic development and that of China, he further notes, are unquestionably linked. Stiglitz also voiced his concerns over the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), which in his estimation benefits some countries while disadvantaging others. He expressed his hope that the Beijing symposium would offer experts from around the world opportunities to discuss fairer policies to govern bilateral trade and international economic agreements. Other keynote speakers shared of their personal experience in Latin America, pointing to the significance of continued exchanges to help the two sides understand each other’s complexities, particularly in the spheres of trade and finance. Bilateral trade ought to be further promoted, as another speaker stressed, while smaller and medium-sized Latin-American enterprises should start focusing on export. XI Jinping’s approach to sustainable development in Latin America was also outlined. The symposium featured a number of workshops on issues of major import, including: “Economic Relations: Seeking Opportunities for Cooperation”; “International Flow of Capital: China and Latin America”; “Long-term Trade Relations and Sustainable Development”; “From Economic Barriers to Efficient Bilateral Trade”; “Innovation, Industrialization, and the Role of Government; and “Dealing with the Challenges of Global Governance Reform.” Overall, the international symposium attracted a wide range of Chinese and foreign media attention. The online media company Sina conducted a live broadcast, while Xinhua and other news agencies reported on the event.