Messages from the new board (2007-9)

President Weimin Sun (Cal State Northridge): I would like to see ACPA become more active in Chinese philosophy research. I hope we can start to stimulate some deep discussions about the current status and the future of Chinese philosophy. The other thing, which is related, is to advertise ACPA to a general audience, and to engage more philosophers both in America and abroad.

Vice President/Treasurer JeeLoo Liu (Cal State Fullerton): I hope to continue to have our APA group sessions as the stage for exchanges of research and ideas on Chinese philosophy. We are one of the few groups that focus on Chinese philosophy, and these group sessions have drawn many non-members in attendance in recent years. I hope to maintain our quality control in the organization of these sessions. From my recent visits to China, I came to see that most of our current members are proud alumni of many universities in China. I also noted that some current philosophy students in China aspire to come to the U.S. for further degree in philosophy. I hope that ACPA can serve as the liaison for current and future members of our association.

Secretary Tongdong Bai (Xavier University): I would like to see a transformed ACPA. ACPA was founded mainly as an association of philosophers who are ethnically Chinese and are doing philosophy in North America. We hope to transform it to an association that promotes Chinese philosophy and comparative philosophy in America. We will try to actively recruit philosophers in these fields and organize APA panels and other conferences that engage mainstream American philosophical schools and philosophers. I hope to establish closer connections with philosophers and philosophy institutions in the Chinese-speaking world by organizing conferences, establishing visiting programs, and promoting book projects and other publication venues. For example, if we could secure some regular funding, we could send one or a few philosophers to a Chinese university to teach a one-month course from the middle of May to the middle of June.