{"id":766,"date":"2022-09-07T12:00:20","date_gmt":"2022-09-07T12:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hlsorgs3stg.wpenginepowered.com\/halb\/?page_id=766"},"modified":"2026-04-24T18:41:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T22:41:33","slug":"treks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/treks\/","title":{"rendered":"Treks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Tokyo 2026<\/summary>\n

HALB International Trek 2026 \u2014 Tokyo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over spring break, HALB traveled to Tokyo for our 8th annual international trek, exploring one of the world\u2019s most dynamic intersections of business, technology, and law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trek opened with a visit to Rakuten Group\u2019s Tokyo headquarters, Rakuten Crimson House, where we learned about the company\u2019s global platform spanning e-commerce, fintech, and digital services. The visit offered insight into how a Japanese-founded company operates at scale across international markets while maintaining a distinct corporate culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HALB visited the Tokyo offices of Morrison Foerster and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, meeting with attorneys advising on cross-border transactions, capital markets, investigations, and complex disputes. Conversations with practitioners highlighted the unique role of international firms in Japan and the importance of navigating both U.S. and Japanese legal frameworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HALB then visited Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, one of Japan\u2019s leading domestic firms, where participants gained perspective on cross-border M&A and the structure of Japan\u2019s legal market. This visit provided a valuable comparison between US and Japanese firm practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The trek also included a visit to Blackstone\u2019s Tokyo office, where we learned about private equity investing in Japan and the evolving opportunities in Asia\u2019s financial markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to legal and financial institutions, we explored the business of culture and branding through a visit to A Bathing Ape (BAPE). We engaged with leadership on the brand\u2019s history, global influence, and strategic direction, followed by a tour of BAPELAND, an archive space, offering a unique look at the intersection of fashion, intellectual property, and global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thank you to the firms and companies that hosted us for making our 2026 international trek an invaluable learning experience for our board members.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

New York 2025<\/summary>\n

HALB Domestic Trek 2025 \u2014 New York<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 24, 2025, HALB embarked on its annual domestic trek to New York City, offering members the opportunity to connect with leading firms, explore diverse career paths, and engage with alumni across industries. Over two packed days, students met with professionals in law, finance, and beauty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trip began with breakfast with Weil, Gotshal & Manges<\/strong>, where students met with partners and associates across the firm\u2019s M&A, litigation, and restructuring practices. Students then met with representatives from Burford Capital<\/strong>, who shared enlightening perspectives on litigation finance and how the field is reshaping access to capital and the business of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Members visited Paul Hastings<\/strong> for a lunch panel with associates in both corporate and litigation groups. In the afternoon, the group met with Aditi Venkatesh, General Counsel of Glossier<\/strong>, for a conversation about in-house practice at a global beauty brand. The day concluded at Sullivan & Cromwell<\/strong> with a panel and happy hour with attorneys from the firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The final day of programming wrapped up with a HALB Alumni Mixer<\/strong>, bringing together current members and over 25 New York-based alumni. 
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Through these experiences, participants gained insight into New York\u2019s dynamic legal market, the wide range of practices that define the city\u2019s legal landscape, and the various opportunities available for future lawyers in the business world and in-house roles! 
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Singapore 2025<\/summary>\n

HALB International Trek 2025 \u2014 Singapore<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In March 2025, HALB traveled to Singapore for its 7th annual international trek, exploring one of Asia\u2019s most dynamic business and legal hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trek opened with a visit to Amazon Singapore<\/strong>, where participants learned about the company\u2019s expanding presence in Asia and the legal challenges that accompany cross-border technology and e-commerce. Students then joined a session at Sidley Austin<\/strong>\u2019s Singapore office, meeting with attorneys practicing across corporate, capital markets, and international arbitration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The highlight of the week included an in-depth program at Allen & Gledhill LLP<\/strong>, one of Singapore\u2019s premier law firms. HALB participants met with partners across corporate M&A, capital markets, banking & finance, and international arbitration, gaining first-hand perspective on the interplay between local and regional markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The professional programming concluded with a visit to L\u2019Or\u00e9al Singapore<\/strong>, where the company\u2019s legal team provided insight into the intersection of law, branding, and consumer products in a global setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the trek, students were able to compare the opportunities and challenges of practicing law in Asia with those in the U.S., while also building connections with practitioners at the forefront of Singapore\u2019s legal and business community.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Dubai 2024<\/summary>\n

HALB International Trek 2024 – Dubai <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In March 2024, HALB traveled to Dubai to explore one of the world\u2019s most dynamic commercial and legal centers. This was HALB\u2019s 6th annual international trek! Over the course of the trek, participants engaged with leading law firms, corporations, and financial institutions that shape the Middle East\u2019s business landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trek opened with a visit to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP<\/strong>, where the partner-in-charge and associates shared insights on the firm\u2019s corporate and arbitration practices across the MENA region. Students then met with executives from Dynamic Drilling<\/strong>, gaining perspective on offshore energy operations and the legal complexities of joint ventures in global drilling markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the week, the group joined a program at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer<\/strong>, where practitioners in international arbitration, M&A, and commercial litigation offered perspectives on cross-border transactions and disputes in the Middle East. HALB also had the opportunity to connect with Mashreqbank<\/strong>, where Acting Group General Counsel Janan Andary Nasr discussed navigating legal risk in international banking and the evolving role of Islamic finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants also visited the Emirates Group<\/strong>, engaging with the in-house legal team of one of the world\u2019s largest aviation companies to better understand the intersection of aviation, compliance, and data privacy. The trek concluded with a session at Siemens Energy<\/strong>, where senior legal counsel highlighted the company\u2019s role in decarbonization projects across Dubai and the broader region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through these meetings, students gained exposure to a broad spectrum of industries\u2014energy, finance, aviation, and global law\u2014while also deepening their understanding of how Dubai serves as a strategic hub for cross-border legal practice.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Miami 2024<\/summary>\n

HALB Domestic Trek 2024 \u2014 Miami<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In October 2024, HALB brought students to Miami for its annual domestic trek, offering participants a unique opportunity to engage with leading firms and corporate legal departments in South Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trek began with a visit to McDermott Will & Emery<\/strong>, where students toured the Miami office and joined a fireside chat with partners and associates from healthcare, corporate advisory, and litigation practices. This was followed by an inside look at Restaurant Brands International (Burger King)<\/strong>, where the group met with General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Jill Granat for a candid discussion about in-house practice and even toured the company\u2019s test kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That evening, students attended a cocktail reception hosted by Greenberg Traurig<\/strong> at the firm\u2019s founding Miami office, engaging with senior leaders including Miami Co-Managing Shareholder Jaret Davis. The day concluded with dinner and networking with attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final day of programming included a breakfast and panel at Weil, Gotshal & Manges<\/strong>, followed by a lunch program with White & Case<\/strong>, where students joined practice area roundtables and concluded the trek with networking over Miami\u2019s signature cafecito.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through these experiences, participants gained insight into Miami\u2019s growing legal market, the diverse range of practices represented in the city, and the unique opportunities available for future lawyers in both private practice and in-house settings<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Europe 2023<\/summary>\n

Harvard Association for Law and Business student delegation visits London for the fifth-annual International Trek<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Source: Grit Daily<\/a>, April 2023<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 13th, the Harvard Association for Law and Business (HALB)<\/a> student delegation traveled to London for HALB\u2019s fifth-annual International Trek. The delegation was composed of eight talented students and was led by Saeed Ahmad<\/a> 24\u2019 and Nicholas Gonzalez 24\u2019. The trip aimed to give pupils the opportunity to meet chief officers, executives, and partners of world-renowned law firms, investment banks as well as multinational consumer goods companies and learn from their work experience. \u201cOne of the key tenets of HALB is to introduce students to the various opportunities present at the intersection of law and business and to introduce a global perspective,\u201d said Mr. Ahmad, one of the two people who led the coalition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HALB\u2019s fifth-annual International Trek started with a visit to the UK Supreme Court. Here students had the chance to have a tour of this historical building, where they admired works of art celebrating the role of women in law over the last hundred years and venturing into the Justice\u2019s Library. Harvard students also had the opportunity to sit in a criminal hearing while also engaging in conversations with barristers, solicitors, and judicial assistants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The following day, Tuesday 14th, the students headed to the headquarters of Unilever, a British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company, selling a variety of products ranging from food to drinks and cleaning supplies to over 190 countries. The HALB student delegation also had the pleasure to meet the company\u2019s global CLO, Maria Varsellona, to discuss the current state of the company. This was followed by a meeting in which Unilever\u2019s Chief IP Officer, Sarah Orchard, and Chief Business Integrity Officer, Kim Morgan-Verlaque, talked about the necessity to manage and protect Unilever\u2019s most valuable intangible patents, copyrights, and assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the meeting, the students went to the headquarters of DLA Piper, a multinational law firm with offices in over forty countries and the sponsor for this year\u2019s trek. Here they took part in a roundtable discussion in which three DLA Piper partners, Stephen Bottley, Martin Bartlam, and Ruth Hoy, discussed the law firm\u2019s emerging legal issues as well as the day-to-day roles of its associates. This was soon followed by a Q&A with executives from Silicon Valley Bank, the perfect opportunity for the delegation to learn about the bank\u2019s recent collapse and consequent acquisition by HSBC UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday the 15th, the HALB student delegation traveled to London\u2019s Canary Wharf, part of London\u2019s central business district, to visit the Morgan Stanley offices. This American multinational investment bank and financial services company has over 75,000 employees all over the world and clients which include governments, institutions, corporations, as well as individuals. Here, the students had a meeting with Managing Director Barra Little, a Harvard Law School alum. In the interactive Q&A session, Mr. Little discussed tips on how to advance in a dynamic company, as well as the ideal way to transition between legal and business roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Thursday the 16th, the delegation had the honor of meeting Jeremy Barker, the Legal Director of Mo\u00ebt Hennessy Europe, Through to this meeting, Harvard students learned about the company\u2019s strategy in the Europe\/Middle East Region, the day-to-day roles of a legal director, as well as the importance of networking in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On their last day, Friday the 18th, the delegation went to Patron Capital, a European private equity real estate fund, representing roughly 4.0 billion euros of equity across several funds and related co-investments. Here, they met the founder and managing partner Keith Breslauer as well as senior advisor Farhod Moghadam who talked about the legal\/compliance matters in connection to real estate and private equity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis London Trek showcased the diversity of global business through our visits to companies such as Unilever, Mo\u00ebt Hennessy, Silicon Valley Bank, Morgan Stanley, Patron Capital and even government entities such as the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom,\u201d said Mr. Ahmad.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Europe 2022<\/summary>\n

Harvard Association for Law and Business returns to Europe post-Covid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Last semester, Harvard Association for Law and Business (HALB) visited Paris, France as part of its annual international trek. HALB Co-President Elisabeth Lopez and Treks Director Aaron Mashian planned the trip to center around business, legal, and government leaders in Paris, a multicultural city with a bustling economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This trip was the first of its kind after two years of Covid restrictions. Attendees visited the European Space Agency, Lazard Investment Bank, LVMH, Morgan Lewis LLP, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, BNP Paribas, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morgan Lewis LLP generously sponsored the trek.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Europe 2018<\/summary>\n

Harvard Association for Law and Business leads student delegation to Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A student delegation from the Harvard Association for Law and Business<\/a> (HALB) visited business, legal, and government leaders in London and Brussels, Belgium, in late August, as part of HALB\u2019s second-annual International Trek. While last year\u2019s trek across China<\/a> was centered around the country\u2019s rapid emergence as one of the world\u2019s most powerful economies, this year\u2019s trek was intended to give students exposure to international business and global leadership in a post-Brexit Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HALB co-presidents Elizabeth Ferrie \u201919 and Heather Lee \u201919 chose Europe for the trek\u2019s destination because they thought London and Brussels perfectly aligned with the International Trek\u2019s core mission of exposing students to business leadership lessons in a global context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter participating in HALB\u2019s first-ever International Trek to China in 2017, we were inspired to cultivate a similar experience for students,\u201d said Ferrie. \u201cWe thought the theme of Europe while Brexit negotiations continue nicely followed the China Trek\u2019s exploration of themes such as the business implications of rapid economic change and political uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ferrie was quick to add that the International Trek would not have been possible without global law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, stating, \u201cI pitched the idea to Jami Wintz McKeon, Chair of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, over lunch while she was on campus for a HALB Women\u2019s Leadership Speaker Series event, and she was incredibly supportive.\u201d Morgan Lewis is the largest law firm chaired by a female.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In London, the delegation visited Spotify, the multi-billion-dollar music streaming service that just completed its direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in April. At the company\u2019s office in Soho, London, the students met with two members of Spotify\u2019s legal team, Jo Lalor and Tony Woods. Kike Aluko JD\/MBA \u201919, who previously interned in Spotify\u2019s New York office and aspires for a career in the music industry, found the visit to be especially insightful. \u201cOur visit at Spotify helped to illuminate not only the legal issues facing the music industry as a whole, but also how in-house lawyers at Spotify are helping to shape the future of the music business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The students later received a tour of London Stock Exchange Group and engaged in a roundtable conversation with LSEG leaders including Murali Subrahmanyam, Head of Business Services Ltd (BSL) Core Services, LSEG shared services company, James Kerton, Head of Legal & Corporate Transactions, Gavin Sullivan, Group Director of Communications, and Adam Scheuer, International Government Relations Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussion, which Scheuer described as a \u201cstimulating exchange,\u201d was far-reaching and ranged from LSEG-specific topics\u2014such as its multifaceted business model and its extraordinary commitment to corporate social responsibility (e.g., LSEG\u2019s ELITE program\/platform and its \u201cCompanies to Inspire\u201d initiative in Africa and Europe)\u2014to general academic topics such as artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, international relations, and even applied physics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, a few weeks before HALB\u2019s visit, Harvard Law School alumni David Schwimmer \u201996 stepped into his role as chief executive officer of LSEG, a position to which he was appointed in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HALB\u2019s London tour included office visits to Morgan Stanley and Google. At both companies, the delegation met with individuals who were Harvard Law School alumni working in global careers outside of the legal industry, and discussions focused on individual career growth and the value of a Harvard Law School education across disciplines. At Morgan Stanley, the HALB delegation had a small-group discussion with Mandy DeFilippo \u201900, managing director and head of risk management for Fixed Income and Commodities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. DeFilippo, who is also the first female to serve as chair of the International Capital Market Association in the organization\u2019s 50-year history, provided the HALB delegation with invaluable career advice as she explained her fascinating journey from classically training as a flutist at Julliard, to studying humanities as an undergraduate at Columbia, to attending Harvard Law School and deciding to practice law in London, to transitioning from working as a corporate lawyer to working as an investment banker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Google, the students met with Amrit Dhir \u201913, who currently maintains two jobs at the company: acting head of Campus London and senior global operations and expansion lead for Google for Entrepreneurs. Unlike DeFilippo, whose career has included a number of years as a practicing lawyer, Dhir explained that while he loved law school, he realized within his first three weeks at HLS that he didn\u2019t want to work as a practicing lawyer. As such, Dhir spent much of his three years at HLS hustling\u2014first to obtain a 1L legal internship at Google, and subsequently, to leverage his Google legal internship into a full-time business development job at the company. Amy Zhang \u201920 found Dhir\u2019s career path inspiring, stating, \u201cAlums like Amrit are living proof that law students don\u2019t have to settle for a job. You can go out, strive, and find the work you dream to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In between the visits with DeFilippo and Dhir at Morgan Stanley and Google, respectively, the students were hosted by a number of lawyers, including partner Louise Skinner, for a meet-and-greet at Morgan Lewis\u2019s London office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The students took the Eurostar train from London to Brussels, marking the beginning of the second\u2014and final\u2014leg of the trek. Unlike the delegation\u2019s itinerary in London, which was focused on private-sector enterprises, the Brussels itinerary was primarily comprised of visits to governmental offices, as Brussels is home to the many international political organizations\u2019 headquarters, such as the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Brussels, HALB\u2019s delegation had several meetings with individuals at the European Commission, Directorate-General for Competition\u2014including a mergers-focused economist, an antitrust economist, and a communications expert. Though none of the students in the HALB delegation had taken an antitrust course at HLS to date, many of the topics that were discussed built on legal concepts the group had learned about in their required 1L International and Comparative Law courses such as \u201cLaw and the International Economy,\u201d taught by Professor Mark Wu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that day, the students visited the Council of the European Union for a meeting with Dr. Christiane H\u00f6hn LLM \u201903, who serves as principal advisor to the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator. H\u00f6hn emphasized how enriching the broader Harvard ecosystem was during her time at Harvard Law School\u2014she spent significant time at Harvard\u2019s Kennedy School of Government working with Professor David Gergen \u201967\u2014and encouraged the HALB delegation to similarly explore complementary areas of interest outside of the Law School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final visit was to Morgan Lewis\u2019s Brussels office, where the students took part in an insightful roundtable discussion on EU antitrust law with partner Christina Renner and associate Petra Kupka.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

China 2017<\/summary>\n

HALB China Trek offers students perspectives on global leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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On Aug. 28, a student delegation from the Harvard Association for Law and Business<\/a> (HALB) embarked on a week-long trip through Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Beijing, China. The purpose of this first-ever HALB China Trek was to expose students to the unique lessons from the rapid development of China\u2019s global economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In prior years, HALB members have met with legal and business leaders in Boston and New York City, but this year, HALB Co-presidents Jianjian Ye \u201918 and David Kafafian \u201918 decided to find an opportunity for students to explore firsthand one of the world\u2019s fastest growing economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe core mission of HALB is to connect students with leaders at the intersection of law and business and to cultivate leadership,\u201d said Ye. \u201cIn today\u2019s world, it is imperative for us to understand our mission in a more globalized context. This China Trek exemplifies our efforts to offer more opportunities to our members to learn about global leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ye, a Hangzhou native, designed the itinerary and led the trek. Inspired by Professor William Alford<\/a>\u2019s comparative law class on China<\/a>, he sought to highlight the tremendous growth of the Chinese economy since 1978, when the country effectively opened its economy to the rest of the world. He arranged for students to meet with key figures in founding China\u2019s capital markets, as well as leaders across technology, government and charity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The delegation began the trip with a visit to the Shanghai Stock Exchange<\/a>, where students met with Hao Fu, director of the International Business Development Department. Fu walked students through the development of the Exchange and discussed future plans to attract more foreign capital and companies to the Chinese stock market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Hangzhou, the students met with the legal team of the Alibaba Group, the $400 billion tech behemoth founded by Jack Ma. Sitting across from attorneys who supported Alibaba\u2019s Taobao.com, Tmall.com and Alibaba Cloud businesses, students learned how effective attorneys provide counsel in a \u201cbuild things fast and break them faster\u201d environment. The Alibaba team offered lessons regarding the interplay between law and technology, and also shared the challenges they faced when managing the firm\u2019s global intellectual property portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following day, Professor Xiqing Gao, former president and chief investment officer of the China Investment Corporation<\/a> (CIC) in Beijing met with the students to discuss the past and future of the Chinese economy. Gao has been a significant leader in China\u2019s path from a planned economy towards today\u2019s \u201cmarket economy with Chinese characteristics.\u201d In the 1980s, after he practiced as an attorney in New York, Gao helped convince the Chinese government to establish a stock market and served as the first General Counsel for the China Securities Regulatory Commission<\/a> (CSRC). Later in his career, he helped create the CIC, China\u2019s now $800 billion sovereign wealth fund. \u201cIt was truly memorable to meet someone who played such a significant role in structuring China\u2019s current economy, though you would not guess that based on his humble demeanor,\u201d says Arjun Adusumilli \u201918.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weiwei Hua, general counsel of CIC, and her in-house team gave the HLS delegation a comprehensive introduction to the goals and strategies of CIC, as well as insights into the various legal challenges CIC attorneys have faced when investing overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role of internationally trained attorneys practicing in Asia, the student visited the Beijing office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Davis Polk partners Howard Zhang and Li He welcomed students and shares their experience building a successful full-service practice in China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students also met with Professor Bin Yang<\/a>, vice-president and provost of Tsinghua University, to learn about the history and future of Chinese education and Tsinghua\u2019s international collaboration plans, including the Schwarzman Scholars<\/a> program, the Global Innovation Exchange<\/a>, and Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute<\/a>. \u201cEducating global leaders,\u201d he said, \u201cis an important goal of Tsinghua University.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HLS students participated in an open forum discussion with Tsinghua law students, led by Professors Guobin Cui and Guohua Yang. The animated discussion focused on the differences between legal practice in the United States and China, perspectives on both country\u2019s economic and geopolitical positions, as well as benefits and drawbacks to both types of legal systems. Later the HLS delegation toured the campuses of Tsinghua University<\/a> and Schwarzman College<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Friday, students met with Chairman Jianxi (Jesse) Wang of the Beijing Dalio Public Welfare Foundation (BDF), and visited the Dandelion School, a charity supported by the BDF, which provides a home and education to the children of local migrant workers. Wang also played a key role in establishing the stock market in China and served as the first chief accountant for the CSRC. He later served as the chairman of China International Capital Corporation (CICC) as well as the vice president and chief risk officer at CIC.  Students had an open discussion with Wang about the evolution of China\u2019s market economy, the lessons from China\u2019s reform, and the U.S.-China relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final meeting of the week was held at the CSRC, where Dongping Li, vice president of the China Institute of Finance and Capital Markets, greeted students with a passage from the Analects of Confucius: \u201cIt is always delightful to have friends come visit from afar.\u201d Students said Li\u2019s greeting was emblematic of the type of welcome they received throughout their visits in China. Li then illustrated the roles and goals of the CSRC as well as China\u2019s approach in preventing systematic risks in its economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meetings across the trip provided students with valuable perspective on a country they found both similar and different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aviv Lazar \u201918 noted how \u201calmost every meeting turned into a robust discussion that helped us reconcile China\u2019s free-market like economy with its political system.\u201d Elizabeth Ferrie \u201919 said: \u201cWe wanted to learn how big corporations were being regulated in China, what types of policies were being used to encourage the growth of business, how they viewed the U.S.-China relationship, and the effect the opening of the market had on the greater Chinese population, and to the extent possible, I think we found those answers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the speakers delved deeply into Chinese history, discussing the founding of the People\u2019s Republic of China and its early policies of planned economy, before addressing current issues and questions about the future. As Professor Bin Yang of Tsinghua University explained, \u201cIf you ask a Chinese about the future, they often start by talking to you about our history.\u201d Recognizing the unique history, culture and politics of China, students better understood how China has integrated market economy with its centralized political system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had the best one-week crash course to a country that anyone could ask for,\u201d Kafafian said. \u201cWe tried the food, met the people, saw the sites, and met the leaders who helped bring the country to where it is today, as well as those who are shaping its tomorrow. Experiences like this are exactly what I hoped to find at HLS.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2017 HALB China Trek was generously sponsored by Davis Polk & Wardwell.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1714,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-766","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5BJcL-cm","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1714"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=766"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/766\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orgs.law.harvard.edu\/halb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}