2015 Beijing Track 2 Conference

The National Bureau of Asian Research along with the Institute on China-US People–to-People Exchange and the Institute for International and Strategic Studies, at Peking University, jointly convened a Track 2 conference in Beijing from March 28–29, 2015. Leading scholars and experts from the United States and China engaged in frank and forthright discussions on the interests of both countries in four strategic domains—maritime, space, nuclear, and cyberspace—and two modes of bilateral exchanges—people-to-people and military-to-military—in order to examine how to move U.S.-China relations forward in these areas.

The discussion panels were moderated by a senior U.S. or Chinese scholar and featured short presentations of each country’s interests and perspectives by a team of mostly mid-career analysts from the United States and China. Following the presentations, senior experts from both sides offered their assessment and constructive criticisms before an open discussion with all of the participants. The dialogue focused on areas of convergence as the basis for cooperation and areas of divergence to identify steps for managing tensions and crises.