Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit

"Bridging the Pacific: Charting the Course of U.S.-China Relations" (2025)

In the recent past, the U.S.-China bilateral relationship has been marked by moments of convergence and divergence. Despite their differences, these two powers remain inextricably linked, like crossing currents that shape a shared body of water, where every shift influences the broader tides of global affairs. While U.S.-China relations are restabilizing, the world faces increasing tension and difficult challenges: climate change, artificial intelligence, technological rivalry, economic inequalities, increased tariffs, disrupted trade, border conflicts, humanitarian crises, regional wars… Now more than ever, we ask the question: Where do we go from here?

The path forward will require navigating a balance between strategic interests and cooperating on issues that have often been marked by competition. How can “burned bridges” be rebuilt? Will new channels of cooperation be found? How can the U.S. and China work together on pressing global issues like climate action, public health, technological advancement, security concerns, and economic recovery? Where do their strategic interests align, and where must they chart separate paths?

We aim to explore these questions and the future of the world’s most important bilateral relationship in the 2025 Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit: Bridging the Pacific: Charting the Course of U.S.-China Relations.

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What is CLS?

The Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit (CLS) invites leading experts to speak on topics of importance to the U.S.-China relations and create a platform for students from across the United States and all over the world to exchange perspectives on these issues, connect with speakers, and network with one another. CLS hosted students for the first time in spring of 2011. Since then, our annual conference has more than tripled in size from 40 students in 2011 to 150 students in 2023.

14 Annual Summits

40 Represented Universities

1337 Student Delegates

CLS 2024 Summit Speakers

Our past speakers have been experts on U.S.-China relations and China studies, ranging from diplomats, senior officials, government advisors, retired senior military officers, and leaders of international organizations to scientists, professors, research fellows, journalists, activists, and artists. They come from both China and the United States as well as other parts of the world, represent a diverse set of opinions and perspectives, and bring meaningful insights to our summit. Our 2024 summit speakers are no different:

What Does CLS Do?

CLS brings together the most promising undergraduates from around China and the U.S. each year who are interested in deepening their understanding of China and creating a more productive relationship between the U.S. and China. As a delegate, you will attend panels, roundtable discussions, seminars and keynote speeches led by professionals committed to the U.S.-China relationship in various fields including academia, business, government, and social activism. You will have the chance to discuss some of the most pressing issues pertaining to Sino-U.S. relations with your peers as well as network with our speakers, corporate sponsors and each other.