On November 21, 2008, SPRIE's Dr. William F. Miller was one of three recipients of the California-Asia Business Council's "2008 New Silk Road" award. Miller, along with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey Senior Counsel Alexander D. Calhoun and Ambassador Linda Tsao Yang, were recognized by the Council as "The Three Venerables" because of their long involvement in and extensive knowledge of US-Asia commercial relationships.

As part of the event, Miller and his fellow honorees took part in a discussion moderated by Ambassador Michael H. Armacost, Shorenstein Distinguished Fellow at Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center. A recording of the discussion is available at the California-Asia Business Council's web site.