Tuesday, November 10, 2026
The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) will hold our annual Gala Dinner on Tuesday, November 10, in New York City. This year holds special significance. We will celebrate six decades of fostering productive engagement in the world’s most consequential bilateral relationship. Guided by our founding belief in the power of dialogue, NCUSCR is the leading non-profit organization committed to U.S.-China relations. Our work began with ping pong diplomacy and continues with track II dialogues, policymaker engagement, next-generation initiatives, and public education programming.
The Gala will also honor two extraordinary leaders who have lived our mission: Mr. Stephen A. Orlins, NCUSCR president, and Mr. Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Blackstone.
After more than two decades as NCUSCR president, Steve Orlins will step down following this year’s Gala. His career in public service began at the U.S. Department of State, where he served on the legal team that established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1979. Under his leadership, NCUSCR has navigated some of the most turbulent chapters in the bilateral relationship and significantly expanded our impact. Mr. Orlins launched eight Track II Dialogues, including on issues such as economics and trade, human rights, healthcare, and climate finance; dramatically expanded Congressional engagement with China; and created CHINA Town Hall, our flagship public education initiative that has reached over ten million viewers and brought the conversation about U.S.-China relations directly into communities across the United States. Mr. Orlins is an unwavering advocate for the power of engagement and holds the conviction that, especially in difficult moments, sustained dialogue between American and Chinese citizens is critical for U.S. national interests.
Stephen Schwarzman is one of the most significant private contributors to U.S.-China people-to-people exchange. In both business and philanthropy, Mr. Schwarzman has dedicated himself to tackling big problems with transformative solutions. In 2013, he founded Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University in Beijing to give the most talented future leaders the power to change the course of history through deep engagement with China. He personally donated $100 million to launch the program and led a campaign to raise $500 million more to endow it in perpetuity – the single largest charitable effort in China’s history from largely international donors. In the years since, the program has equipped more than 1,300 young leaders from over 100 countries with the skills and network to navigate an increasingly complex world. Schwarzman Scholars’ investment in human relationships reflects the values that we have championed since our founding.
NCUSCR has been proud to be part of Schwarzman Scholars from the very beginning. Steve Orlins served on the advisory board before the college broke ground, and over the past decade our partnership has kept hundreds of Schwarzman alumni engaged with China and U.S.-China relations through seminars, expert briefings, and convenings on four continents.
ABOUT NCUSCR
The National Committee on United States-China Relations fosters communication and
exchange between the United States and China in support of productive bilateral
relations and U.S. national interests. We achieve our mission through public educational programming, track II dialogues, policymaker engagement, and exchanges between American and Chinese counterparts on issues of importance to the U.S.-China relationship, and supporting next-generation leadership development.