George H. W. Bush Conference on U.S.-China Relations

The inaugural Bush China Conference was held at Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M University. The first two days of the conference featured plenary sessions focused on reviewing and discussing ways to advance diplomatic, security and economic relations between the two countries. The latter two days comprised roundtable discussions that aimed to build partnerships in science and technology and to promote research and educational exchange.

Conference highlights included a dinner co-hosted by President George H. W. BUSH and former Vice Premier of the Chinese State Council QIAN Qichen and keynote addresses by the following dignitaries:

• James BAKER, Former U.S. Secretary of State 
• Henry KISSINGER, Former U.S. Secretary of State 
• LONG Yongtu, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation 
• Colin POWELL, U.S. Secretary of State  
• QIAN Qichen, Former Vice Premier, State Council of the People’s Republic of China 
• YANG Jiechi, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States

Other Chinese diplomats at the conference included XIONG Guangkai, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, People’s Liberation Army and vice ministers from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Chinese participants also included several university presidents and nearly 100 Chinese academics, who engaged with academics from Texas A&M University and other U.S. institutions on collaborative research opportunities focused on the following topics:

• Altered Landscapes and Environmental Responses to Transformations (ALERT) 
• Food Safety: The Rural Imperative  
• Higher Education During a Time of Transition  
• Information Technology and Applications  
• Integrating Science, Education and Information Technology in Cross-Cultural Settings  
• New Venture Growth Strategies in China’s High Technology Industries
• Research and Development on Energy Production  
• SARS: Crisis and Opportunity of Global Public Health  
• Scientific Development of Chinese Traditional Medicine to Address the Aging World  
• Sustainable Community Planning, Design and Construction

Special thanks to our primary conference sponsors: China National Petroleum Corporation, FedEx, IBM, Motorola, Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation. Thanks also to our other sponsors: The Bush Library Foundation, Chevron Texaco, Hong Kong General Association of International Investment, Kay and Britt Rice Lecture Series, Kyle R. Younts International Forum and Motorola-Austin.