The 2012 EWC/EWCA International Conference opened on Saturday at the Yingjie Exchange Center at Peking University.

Li Yansong, vice-president of Peking University, and Zhang Xiuqin, director-general of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education, welcomed all the guests attending the conference.

Gary Locke, US ambassador to China, gave a keynote address, welcoming investment from China. He called for "coexistence and cooperation" between China and the US.

From Sept 1 to 3, a group of scholars, officials, educators and business leaders from more than 20 areas all over Asia, the Pacific and the US will discuss topics of "Community Building and Leadership in Asia Pacific."