South China Sea in D.C.: An Exploration of International Development and Security
About the author: Lily Liu’21 is an FSI Global Policy Intern at the Asia Foundation in Washington D.C.. Lily is currently a prospective International Relations and Public Policy major at Stanford University.
My heart palpated when I saw rainbow flags and pride decorations blooming on the doorsteps of Florida Avenue at 8am on Monday morning.
Engulfed in the heavy blanket of warm summer air, I felt sweat starting to bead up on my forehead. I had definitely underestimated the heatwave’s ability to make one feel dizzy. However, my heart was beating faster and faster as I hustled to the Dupont Circle, where I would start my first day at The Asia Foundation. As the D.C. office intern, I was immediately tasked with attending various events regarding Indo-Pacific strategy and development and writing policy memos to the Vice President of the Foundation, Nancy Yuan. Attending events such as a debate on whether U.S. should restrict Huawei’s business, a presentation by Assistant Secretary Schriver on the new Indo-Pacific strategy report, or a panel discussion on the future of increasing surveillance and detainment of Uighurs, pushed me to think about international cooperation and development in different, and often challenging security dynamics. As I worked on background digests for diplomats who will be visiting the United States through programs sponsored by The Asia Foundation, I learned more about the effect of American domestic politics on foreign direct investment and immigration. Finally, I was really excited to embark on the Monograph research project, which would involve analyzing and organizing the women empowerment programs that the Asia Foundation had supported in the past fifty years.
Even though the temperature is making the Northern girl in me a little drowsy, the amazing learning opportunities and adventures in the past ten days were nothing but exhilarating. Whether it was watching and ranting about the Democratic presidential debates with six other Stanford students on a Thursday night, sharing my immigrant experiences and thoughts about our future in service at the social justice themed bookstore cafe Busboys and Poets with a friend from Harvard, or exploring the intricate and changing relations between FBI investigation and journalism at Newseum on a Sunday afternoon, my mind was constantly challenged and filled with new ideas and inspirations. I can’t wait to continue to learn more about international development and grow from random and unexpected adventures and experiences this summer.
