The China-U.S. Relations Conference series is designed to promote one of the world's most important global relationships and to help strengthen and expand its academic and business collaborations.

This conference series brings together political, business, and academic leaders from all around the globe to discuss issues of importance related to the relationship between the United States and China.

Consider the key areas of this conference and the potential they hold for promoting peace and progressing the world—education, science and technology, particularly as they relate to energy resources and agriculture. It is only by both nations embracing the national, regional, and global necessity of continued collaboration, and by expanding the spirit of openness and trust that has grown over the last three decades that we may achieve that peace and progress. - Dr. Robert M. Gates, United States Secretary of Defense and former President, Texas A&M      University

The first conference in the series was held in 2003 at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas. At the opening conference session of this ground-breaking event, General Colin Powell, United States Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Former United States Secretary of State, and Former Vice Premier Qian Qichen delivered keynote addresses to an assembly of almost 3000 people. The subsequent conference activities provided an unprecedented opportunity for Chinese and American colleagues to identify areas of collaboration between the two countries and develop solutions to benefit both societies.

The 2005 conference, held in Beijing, was another important event to bring together political, business, and academic leaders to discuss issues of importance related to trade, diplomacy, and research. In addition, they reviewed and advanced political and economic relations between the two countries. Former President George Bush led a strong delegation from the United States, which included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California; General Brent Scowcroft, Former United States National Security Advisor; and Ambassador Rob Portman, United States Trade Representative. On the second evening of the conference, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom John Major joined former President Bush in an informal discussion with the conference participants about the importance of the relationship with China.

It is the efforts made by us which will make a difference because in the final analysis, a stable, healthy, and ever developing China-U.S. relationship is in the best interest of China and the United States, and to mankind. - Mr. Yang Jiechi, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, People's Republic of China

The third conference in this historic series, hosted in Washington, D.C. in October 2007, provided policymakers, scholars, and business leaders from both China and the United States an opportunity to collaborate and promote bilateral growth and development. Former President George Bush and a host of other American dignitaries, including five members of President George W. Bush's Cabinet, joined with top-level Chinese officials to discuss the relationship between their two countries, one that former President Bush calls "the most important bilateral relationship." Over 600 registered participants took part in discussions on issues of importance related to development - including trade and investment issues and education - energy and security.