Nicholas Burns, the United States Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from March 2022 to January 2025, will be rejoining the Harvard Kennedy School faculty in April. Upon his return, he will also join the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies as a faculty affiliate.
As Ambassador, Burns led the U.S. Mission in China in its interactions with the PRC on a wide range of political, security, economic, educational, and other issues. This included overseeing a team of professionals from 48 government agencies and sub-agencies in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan. During the course of his ambassadorship, Burns emphasized the importance of enhancing U.S.-China student and academic exchanges as critical to the bilateral relationship.
“We are delighted to welcome Ambassador Burns back to Harvard this spring and absolutely thrilled that he will be a more integral part of the Fairbank Center community,” said Mark Wu, faculty director of the Fairbank Center and Henry L. Stimson Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. “On issues ranging from security and AI to global health and trade, Ambassador Burns has played a key role in shaping the U.S.-China relationship in a time of increased strategic competition between the two countries. Our students and faculty will benefit tremendously from his wisdom and experience.”
Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, Burns taught for 13 years as the Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. He previously served for a quarter century in the U.S. Department of State under six Presidents, including as Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (2005-2008), U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (2001-2005), and U.S. Ambassador to Greece (1997-2001).
In June 2024, Ambassador Burns delivered the commencement address at the Harvard Kennedy School. During his time on campus, he also offered his insights on the U.S.-China relationship as part of the Fairbank Center’s Policymakers series: