News Release

In Memoriam: Christopher H. Phillips

February 21, 2008

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Christopher H. Phillips, USIP board member from 1993 to 1996, passed away on January 10, 2008 in Gloucester, MA.

Charles E. Nelson, the Institute’s vice president and senior counselor, fondly remembered Phillips. "During his years on the board, Chris Phillips drew on his extensive diplomatic and international business experience and consistently expressed in a direct and refreshing manner his personal and independent points of view on the broad range of issues addressed by the board."

Phillips led a long and distinguished career in public service, the private sector, and diplomacy. After World War Two, he served on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur in Tokyo. In 1948, he successfully ran for the Massachusetts state senate, becoming the youngest serving state senator up to that point.

Under the Eisenhower administration, Phillips served as deputy assistant secretary of state for international affairs, vice chairman of the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and with the U.N. Economic and Social Council.

Subsequently, Phillips worked for eight years in the private sector, including period as a president of the U.S. International Chamber of Commerce.

He returned to public service in 1969, when he served with two U.N. positions until 1973. During this period, Phillips was instrumental in establishing the "Law of the Sea," a cornerstone of international maritime law.

That year, the founding board of the National Council for U.S.-China trade elected Phillips as president. This organization, created before official ties between Washington and Beijing were established, worked to foster business ties between the two countries. Moreover, the council was instrumental in establishing diplomatic ties between the two states.

From 1989 until his retirement in 1991, Phillips served as U.S. ambassador to Brunei.