Friday, March 6, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Room 213, Elliott School of International Affairs
On Friday, March 6, 2026, from 11 AM to 12 PM ET, join USCET and the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs for a conversation with Nicholas Burns, U.S. Ambassador to China from 2021 to 2025, featuring opening remarks by Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
Burns has had a robust three-decade career in the U.S. State Department. As Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, he helped shape U.S. foreign policy and oversee regional bureaus worldwide. As ambassador to China, he played a central role in managing the complex U.S.–China relationship at a challenging time. As U.S. Ambassador to NATO on 9/11, the Alliance invoked Article 5 and took on a new mission in Afghanistan.
Drawing on decades of experience in U.S.-China relations and global diplomacy, Burns will reflect on his career in the U.S. Foreign Service, the current state of bilateral relations, the challenges of strategic competition, and the future of ties between Washington and Beijing.
Join us in-person at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
Speaker Biographies
Speaker
Ambassador Nicholas Burns is the Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He is the Founder and Faculty Chair of the Future of Diplomacy Project. He is also a Faculty Affiliate at Harvard’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies.
Burns served as the U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from 2022-2025, leading public servants from 48 U.S. government agencies at the U.S. mission to China in overseeing one of America’s most important and challenging bilateral relationships. During his tenure, he helped to stabilize relations with Beijing while competing with China on military, technology, economic, and human rights issues.
Burns holds numerous awards and honorary degrees, including the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award.
Opening Remarks
Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering is Vice Chairman of Hills & Company and a veteran American diplomat who serves on the USCET Advisory Council. He served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (1997–2000) and as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Jordan. He also served as U.S. Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations in New York, where he led U.S. coalition-building efforts in the UN Security Council during and after the first Gulf War.
Pickering held additional senior posts in Tanzania, Geneva, and Washington, including serving as Special Assistant to Secretaries of State William P. Rogers and Henry A. Kissinger. After retiring from the State Department in 2000, he joined The Boeing Company as Senior Vice President for International Relations and a member of the Executive Council. He holds degrees from Bowdoin College, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the University of Melbourne, and speaks multiple languages including French, Spanish, and Swahili.
CHINA CONNECTIONS
Why should Americans be interested in China? USCET launches China Connections, a new monthly series hosting discussions with experts to explore their work, gain insights into current events, and learn what a career in the China field looks like today. These events highlight individuals with unique expertise on China to provide students, young professionals, and members of the public a deeper understanding of current events and increase American student interest in pursuing a focus on China. These events are mostly held in person at George Washington University with online engagement.