The U.S.-China relationship in 2026 has been marked by an unusually high degree of personal diplomacy between the two countries’ top leaders, including President Trump’s summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing in May and Xi’s state visit to Washington, D.C., in September. The two leaders are also expected to meet again in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen and in December at the G20 summit in Florida.

These high-level engagements have helped ease tensions and establish mechanisms for continued dialogue and cooperation, while leaving many of the underlying strategic differences between the two countries unresolved.

Join us on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026 for a conversation with Jonathan Cheng, China Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, for an in-depth look at some of the key issues shaping the U.S.-China relationship, including trade, technology and AI, military communication, and Taiwan—and what the two countries’ pursuit of a “constructive relationship of strategic stability” may look like in practice. The conversation will be moderated by Nelson Dong, former Partner and Chair of the National Security Law Group at Dorsey & Whitney.

Light lunch will be provided. Registration is required. The downtown Seattle venue will be shared with registered attendees a few days before the event. 

Agenda

11:00 AM                                Registration and Networking

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM           Program

REGISTER HERE

SPEAKER BIOS

Jonathan Cheng is the China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, overseeing coverage of the world’s second-largest economy across politics, economics, business, technology, and society. Jonathan leads a team of two dozen correspondents and researchers in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, and New York, with responsibility for the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Previously, Jonathan was the Korea bureau chief for The Journal, running coverage of North Korea and South Korean politics and business. He began his career as an intern in The Journal’s Hong Kong bureau and also worked as a markets reporter in the Journal’s New York office.

Jonathan speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, French, and Korean. A native of Toronto, Jonathan graduated from Princeton University with a degree in history. He lives in Beijing and has traveled to North Korea twice.

Nelson Dong is a retired partner with the Dorsey & Whitney law firm where he practiced for over three decades and formerly headed its National Security Law Group.  Before his retirement, he advised companies, professional societies, universities and research organizations on export controls, economic sanctions, national security and international trade and investment matters.  He was also an author and teacher on international technology law issues.  

Nelson was a White House Fellow and U.S. Justice Department official in the Carter Administration responsible for international and national security matters and was a federal prosecutor in Boston. He was also an export control policy advisor to the U.S. Commerce Department and has served as a director of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in New York City. He has been an adjunct professor of international law at the Seattle University School of Law and has given guest lectures on international and national security law issues at the University of Washington School of Law. He is a director of the Washington State China Relations Council and an advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research in Seattle and an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Committee of 100. He is a Life Member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and was named a Trailblazer by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Nelson is a graduate of Stanford University and the Yale Law School and has served as a trustee of Stanford University.