Oh, the places you will go! Opportunities through Education in Myanmar, Africa, and the Entire World.

By Emily Conrad
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As the spring semester is already up and running, many of the NexGen fellows are thinking ahead to the adventures on which we will embark next academic year as we begin our studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). On March 9th, we met two recent Chinese alumnae of SAIS, who shared with us their study and career experiences in international relations over an informal meal. 
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Yiyi Fan, who focused her research and studies on Myanmar while at SAIS, is now an assistant research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. This organization is run by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFCOM). While at this organization, she has researched Chinese foreign aid to Myanmar, particularly in response to last year’s flood resulting from Cyclone Komen. During this flood, twelve of Myanmar’s fourteen states were affected, with the poorest, agricultural areas experiencing the worst of the United Nations’ estimated $192 million in damages. 

青思智库成员与SAIS毕业生座谈。

原茵供稿
 
范伊伊在SAIS学习期间主要关注缅甸研究，毕业后在商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院工作。在研究院中，她主要研究中国对缅甸的援助。去年飓风“科门”在缅甸引发大规模洪灾，缅甸14个邦中有12个邦都受到严重影响，贫困的农业区预计遭受了1.92亿美元的损失。基于缅甸政府的数据，范伊伊指出中国是承诺并且实际给予最多人道主义援助的国家，总援助额高达700万美元。中国驻缅甸大使馆、商务部、中国人民解放军及云南省政府均参与了对缅甸的援助。除了政府援助之外，中国驻缅企业也伸出援手，为缅甸人民募捐。范伊伊还指出，2010-2012年间，中国共向30个国家提供了高达1.5亿人民币的人道主义援助。中国的援助基于三个原则：一，不干涉原则，即中国不干预受援国的内政；二，需求导向原则，即中国基于受援国的要求提供援助；三，平等对待，中方不因受援国是否与中国建交作为给予援助的前提。范伊伊还分析了中国援助体制面临的一些挑战，比如中方在援助过程中国际合作较少。同时，人道主义援助可能无法解决受援国长期发展的问题。

According to Yiyi’s research, which utilized statistics from Myanmar’s government, China is the country which has pledged and given the most in humanitarian assistance, amounting to some $7 million. The four Chinese government institutions which provided assistance were the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, MOFCOM, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, and the Yunnan provincial government. This aid was supplemented by cash donations and in-kind cooperation by Myanmar-based Chinese companies, such as the financial group, CITIC, which donated $300,000.
 
Yiyi also noted that official Chinese humanitarian assistance from 2010 to 2012 was upwards of 1.5 billion RMB to 30 recipient countries. The principles of aid are based in: 1.) non-interference, meaning that the Chinese government will not try to change the government; 2.) demand-orientation, meaning that the Chinese government only provides money for projects which the recipient country has asked for; and 3.) equal treatment, whether diplomatic relations established or not. She noted that several challenges exist in the Chinese aid system, such as China’s lack of international cooperation in aid. Also, the speed with which the Chinese government acts might mean that the humanitarian assistance does not meet the recipient country’s long-term needs.
 
Hanning Bi, who focused her research and studies on Japan and China while at SAIS, is now a risk management analyst at the China- Africa Development Fund. This organization, which used to be directly associated with the Chinese Development Bank, is now its own separate private equity firm. Hanning developed her interest in Africa while at SAIS, working with China-Africa expert Deborah Brautigam andinterning in South Africa.  
 
Hanning’s job in the risk management department involves looking at potential projects from many different angles to determine their viability, as well as development of financial structures to make viable projects. Mostly, the China-Africa Development Fund invests in infrastructure, mining, and manufacturing, as well as some agricultural projects. Currently, there are more than forty projects underway in 35 different countries in Africa. The Fund always acts as a limited partner, joining with a Chinese partner and never investing more than 5% in any project. Thus far, there has only been one successful exit from a project: a glass factory in Ethiopia. Most of the projects have a maturity of five to ten years, with the infrastructure projects often lasting even longer due to the length of construction. Falling commodity prices have made it more difficult for the China-Africa Development Fund to successfully exit projects.
 
The NexGen fellows were enthusiastic to meet with these alumnae to not only learn about their career goals, but also to gain practical tips and suggestions for studying at SAIS. One thing that the fellows continued to note were the diversity of countries and subjects which both Yiyi and Hanning studied while graduate students. Through their experiences, we were encouraged to view the world from a broad perspective, developing our knowledge of many areas of the world. 

毕菡凝在SAIS学习期间主要关注日本及非洲研究，曾参与Deborah Brautigam教授的研究课题，并在南非毕业后在中非发展基金从事风险管理工作。毕菡凝现在主要从事基金的风险管理工作，需要从多角度对潜在的项目进行可行性分析，并对其财务结构的发展进行评估。中非基金主要投资基础设施、采矿、制造业及一些农业项目。现阶段，基金共有40多个项目正在运行当中。中非基金多与其他中方合作伙伴共同推动项目的进展，所占份额较少。大多数的项目都长达5至10年，所以迄今只有一个成功的案例，即埃塞俄比亚玻璃厂。并且在大宗商品价格不断下跌的情况下，现在并不是投资非洲最好的时候。
 
通过与两位校友座谈，青思智库成员不仅了解了SAIS学习生活情况及就业选择，更得到了一些切实的建议及指导。两位学姐选择发展中国家研究作为未来的职业发展方向也鼓励着每位成员开拓视野，去探索更大的世界。