2007 George Bush China-U.S. Relations Conference

Newswise — WHO: Former President George Bush and a host of other American dignitaries, including six members of President George W. Bush's Cabinet, will join with top-level Chinese officials next week in Washington, D. C., to discuss the bilateral relationships between their two countries—among the world's most important on-going interactions by almost any measurement.

WHAT: The 2007 George Bush China-U.S. Relations Conference: Development, Energy and Security is the third in a series of forums bringing together prominent governmental, business, and academic leaders from the two nations to promote, strengthen and expand academic and business collaborations between the two countries.

An impressive line-up of distinguished keynote speakers and/or conference participants will include the following:

"¢ U.S. Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson (8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23)"¢ U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez (12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.23)"¢ U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab (6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23)"¢ U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman (12:15 p.m. Wed. Oct. 24)"¢ Acting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner (8:40 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 25)"¢ U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt (9 a.m. Thurs. Oct. 25)

WHEN: October 23 - 25, 2007

WHERE: J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

WHY: Representatives from China and the United States have made great progress in furthering collaboration and research between the two countries since the first conference was held at Texas A&M in 2003. At the second conference in Beijing in 2005, existing collaborations were strengthened and new relationships were established. This year's meeting is expected to further advance the significant work from the previous conferences.

The three-day conference is hosted by Texas A&M University and its George Bush School of Government and Public Service, the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The conference will consist of several keynote addresses and other presentations as well research roundtables and other forums.

Major conference sponsors include: China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), Exxon Mobil Corporation, Microsoft, AMD, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Amway (China) Co., Ltd, The Dow Chemical Company, IBM, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, The Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, UPS and Westinghouse Electric Company.

**NOTE TO EDITORS/NEW DIRECTORS REGARDING MEDIA CREDENTIALS:

Heightened security measures will be in effect throughout the three-day conference. News agencies interested in covering the conference, in part or in its entirety, are advised that media credentials must be requested in advance and should be submitted on company letterhead by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19. That information may be faxed to Sherylon Carroll at (979) 845-9909. For more information, including a detailed conference schedule, please go to: http://china-us-conference.org/index.php.