As a Thomas R. Pickering Fellow, an honor that I received with assistance from the staff of the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research, I had the privilege of interning at the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs (more commonly referred to as the China Desk) at the State Department this past summer.

Although it is probably every intern’s dream to do more than just copying and shredding papers at their internship, with only a B.A. degree under my belt and no previous government-related internship experience, I started my internship on the China Desk with minimal expectations for my assigned responsibilities. Contrary to my expectations, however, my summer internship was filled with a multitude of challenges that enabled me to apply my knowledge to a real-world setting, as well as endless opportunities for direct engagement in the policy-making process.

During my first month on the China Desk, I was already excited and satisfied when tasked with attending and reporting on meetings both within and outside the State Department and drafting replies to incoming Congressional correspondence. Supporting the China Desk Director, Deputy Director and Desk officers at these meetings helped fulfill my goal of witnessing and engaging in the interagency policy-making process first hand.

As an aspiring diplomat who has always been immensely interested in China affairs, particularly U.S.-China relations, being able to read the latest updates on their bilateral relations and see diplomats negotiating right in front of my own eyes was indeed a major treat. Yet, at the time, I did not know that the highlight of my summer was still awaiting me.

As we hit July, my office was getting busier and busier and before I knew it, I was part of “Erica’s (the State Coordinator for the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, often referred to as the S&ED) Army.” Along with the other interns on the China Desk, I was excited to just have the opportunity to work on a very high profile project. After all, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, their Chinese counterparts, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice Premier Wang Qishan, as well as many other high level American and Chinese officials were participants.

Initially we devoted our efforts to editing and compiling briefing materials for senior State Department officials to use in high-level negotiations, but soon we were entrusted with responsibilities interns could only dream of having! Our 9-hour workdays eventually turned into more than 12 hours ones. From providing logistical support and advanced coordination to meeting high-level officials from the Chinese Embassy in preparation for the S&ED, I was especially overjoyed to have the opportunity to practice being a diplomat in a real life setting.

When the S&ED, which took place in Washington, D.C. from July 27 to July 28, finally occurred, I was privileged to witness first-hand American and Chinese officials discussing a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues that carry strategic and economic implications for U.S.-China relations in both the short and long-term. My optimism for the future of U.S.-China relations was emboldened when I noticed diplomats of both countries cooperating with each other to address shared interests while acknowledging the differences that exist in the relationship.

To sum it up, my summer internship on the China Desk was truly an experience of a lifetime. Although my involvement in the S&ED, especially being able to shake hands with Secretary Clinton and the two top Chinese officials at the Dialogue defined my summer, the unending support and guidance that I received from everyone on the China Desk helped make my experience there truly memorable. This experience also reconfirmed my interest in international affairs, especially U.S.-China relations, and my desire to pursue a career in diplomacy.

Thao Anh is a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs, where she double majored in International Affairs (with concentrations in International Politics and Asia) and Asian Studies. In 2007, she studied abroad in Hangzhou and Beijing, China and is currently on a Fulbright grant in Yanji, China conducting research on the role of the ethnic Korean community in facilitating Sino-North Korean relations. Upon her return to the U.S., Thao Anh will pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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My internship at the State Department’s China Desk this past summer, an incredible experience in itself, led me to an even more amazing opportunity: the chance to participate in the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh from September 24th to September 25th. After my frequent interaction with the management and protocol staff at the State Department in the process of planning for the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, I was asked if I would be interested in serving as a Spouse Liaison Officer for the G-20 Summit. Though I initially had no idea what this job would entail other than being involved in some capacity with helping a spouse of one of the leaders attending the G-20, the thought of being able to attend the Summit made it impossible for me to resist the offer.

By early September I was notified that I had been assigned Mrs. Kim Yun-ok, the First Lady of South Korea. I jumped with excitement upon hearing the news, as I had just visited South Korea in the past month and am currently learning Korean. As a Spouse Liaison Officer my responsibilities included participating in conference calls and keeping myself informed of details of all activities that the spouses of leaders attending the G-20 Summit would participate in, as well as maintaining frequent contacts with the Principal Liaison Officer for South Korea and the staff at the South Korean Embassy. While these duties were not particularly difficult to execute, the fact that I was in China and had to deal with the 12-hour time difference made it particularly challenging for me to keep up with my responsibilities.

When the week of the G-20 Summit finally arrived, I took a 7-day hiatus from my Fulbright research in China to fly to Pittsburgh, where I joined the rest of the Spouse Liaison Officers. By the time of my arrival, Pittsburgh, which was selected as the host location for the G-20 Summit for its remarkable economic recovery over the past thirty years and its commitment to building a sustainable future through the employment of green technology,  buzzed with excitement. The David Lawrence Convention Center, which hosted meetings and discussions between leaders of the world’s major industrialized and developing economies and relevant organizations and is recognized as the first “green” convention center in the world, was still under heavy construction with workers rushing to put the final touches to the meeting rooms in time for the opening of the Summit.

Although memories of being a few feet from Mrs. Obama or being part of Mrs. Kim’s motorcade as we traveled to the Phipps Conservatory for the opening reception of the G-20 Summit or having dinner at Mrs. Heinz’s Rosemont Farm or being able to see Yo-Yo Ma perform at CAPA Pittsburgh will stay with me forever, it is the hard-working ethic of the staff behind-the-scenes and the extreme precision and perfection that they sought for everything that impressed me most. These are qualities that I hope to emulate as I work hard to become a successful diplomat in the near future.

While the Spousal Program for the G-20 did not have any direct relevance to the success of the policy-making process of the Summit, its success demonstrated the United States’ eagerness to spread goodwill to the world. For this reason, despite the incredibly tight schedule, from making site visits to the locations where the spousal activities would take place to participating in meetings with the South Korean Embassy staff which made me quite exhausted, I felt incredibly honored to have been a part of a very dedicated team whose work exuded professionalism all-around the clock.

Thao Anh is a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs, where she double majored in International Affairs (with concentrations in International Politics and Asia) and Asian Studies. In 2007, she studied abroad in Hangzhou and Beijing, China and is currently on a Fulbright grant in Yanji, China conducting research on the role of the ethnic Korean community in facilitating Sino-North Korean relations. Upon her return to the U.S., Thao Anh will pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Networking with peers at an academic conference in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Thao Anh Tran

Between meeting and discussing with students across the globe my shared interest in East Asian affairs and seeing North Korea from the Peace Observatory in the DMZ, this past week served as an incredible learning opportunity for me.

As a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs, I am particularly grateful for the financial support I received from the Elliott School Undergraduate Scholars Program. The funding enabled me to participate as a delegate in the Security workshop at the 2009 Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Academic Conference, which was held in Seoul from August 14th to August 17th. Every year HPAIR brings together hundreds of the brightest minds, both students and experts in the field of international relations for discussion on economic, political, and social issues pertinent to the East Asia-Pacific region.

Originally I was extremely worried that I would appear out of place when engaging in discussion of complex issues with future leaders in the field of international relations. Fortunately, my mind was immediately put to ease when I realized my familiarity with the topics of discussion. I was first introduced to issues such as U.S. policy in East Asia, Inter-Korean relations, the rise of China, Japan’s Asia policy, ASEAN, and ‘comfort women’ in Professor Mochizuki’s PSC 175 International Relations of East Asia course during my junior year. The knowledge I gained from that course gave me the confidence to debate with the other participants on ways to resolve the history problem that plagues relations between the countries in Northeast Asia.

My participation in HPAIR not only helped me gain a more in-depth understanding of issues of major concern to East Asian countries, but also enabled me to engage in forthright discussions with fellow participants about the future of the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, from my field trip to major cultural attractions in Seoul and interaction with the Korean delegation, I learned a great deal about the Korean culture and picked up a few useful Korean phrases. I also gained numerous friendships with participants from all across the globe. From now on, whenever I travel to countries as far as Indonesia, Thailand, Germany, and Israel, I know I can count on these friends to help me navigate their countries.

Taking in the sites of Seoul, South Korea with new friends. Photo: Thao Anh Tran

By the end of the conference, I could not help but felt great pride as an Elliott School alumna. The Elliott School’s reputation as a renowned institution of international affairs is indisputable and far-reaching. When fellow participants discovered I recently graduated from the Elliott School, I instantly became a ‘human attraction’ for those who plan to attend the Elliott School in the near future.

While I am saddened by the fact that I will not be able to continue to enroll in interesting East Asia-related courses at the Elliott School, I think current and prospective students can take comfort in the fact that their education at the Elliott School will give them the needed preparation and confidence to succeed in the field of international affairs.

Thao Anh is a recent graduate of the Elliott School of International Affairs, where she double majored in International Affairs (with concentrations in International Politics and Asia) and Asian Studies. In 2007, she studied abroad in Hangzhou and Beijing, China and is currently on a Fulbright grant in Yanji, China conducting research on the role of the ethnic Korean community in facilitating Sino-North Korean relations. Upon her return to the U.S., Thao Anh will pursue a Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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