The Duke-UNC China Summit was a key opportunity for me to learn more about the dynamic politics in the region. As a Global Affairs student, I always do my best to learn about international relations and politics. China has one of the most complicated political and global landscapes which made attending this summit a no-brainer for me. This year’s summit had the theme of “Beyond Binary: Reimagining US-China Narratives.” There were experts on the US-China relationship present. I heard from published authors to ambassadors about the nuanced and delicate relations between the two countries. The summit was two days long. The first day took place at Duke University and the second day was at UNC-Chapel Hill. These two different locations allowed me to learn more about the university campuses too. I am interested in receiving a graduate degree which makes campus visits of this sort useful. Additionally, there were countless opportunities to interact with like-minded students who were at the summit. I reconnected with individuals I had previously met at other conferences. This networking helped me expand the mission of my student organization on campus and share more about George Mason University. I hope to attend similar conferences in the future where I can learn about the global positioning of countries. Overall, the summit allowed me to represent George Mason University and learn more about the US-China relationship. I would also like to thank Global Affairs at GMU for sharing this opportunity and supporting students in advancing their careers.
April 22, 2024