Prior to joining Tsinghua University, Xiuye Zhao served as the Director for Asia Operations at the State Legislative Leaders Foundation, a national nonprofit organization representing legislative leaders in all fifty states. Zhao spearheaded the creation of SLLF’s China program since he joined in 2014. The program, “US-China Subnational Legislatures Exchange Mechanism”, aims to build and strengthen ties on the state and local level between the U.S. and China. The program received presidential endorsement in 2015 during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the U.S. Prior to joining SLLF, Zhao worked as a research assistant at the Brookings Institution John L. Thornton China Center, conducting research on U.S.-China relations. Zhao also worked in government relations in Washington DC representing clients on Capitol Hill. Zhao has a Master’s degree in international affairs from the Elliot School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.