INTRODUCTION

The China-U.S. Center for Sustainable Development is an international public-private partnership focused on achieving results to accelerate sustainable development in China, the United States and the world. We aim to create sustaining enterprises - inspired by cradle to cradle principles - that enable commerce, communities and nature to thrive and grow in harmony. We also provide training to build capacity for sustainable development and target strategic opportunities that are both timely and important. We view the past antagonism between economic development and the natural world as a design problem and not a limitation to economic prosperity, environmental quality or healthy communities.

We have come together because we believe that the future of China and the United States - as the world's largest developing and developed countries respectively - will have a determining impact on the future of the planet.

The China-U.S. Center is guided by a distinguished Joint Board of Councilors (Advisors) representing business, government, science and non-governmental organizations that have an interest in the future of China and the United States. The founding Co-Chairs of the Board are Madame Deng Nan, Chief Executive Secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology, and William A. McDonough, FAIA, renowned green architect and designer.

The ongoing operations of the Center are jointly managed by two Secretariats in Beijing, China and Portland, Oregon USA that work as a team. The China Secretariat is the Administrative Center for China's Agenda 21, responsible to the Ministry of Science and Technology. The U.S. Secretariat is the International Sustainable Development Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

We have an ambitious and positive agenda. We believe that a sustaining world can only be achieved by engaging the creativity and commitment of all sectors of society - business, governments, universities, non-governmental organizations and people in their communities. While the challenges may seem formidable, we are now at a turning point of opportunity to foster powerful new relationships and advance sustainable development in China, the United States and the world.

The China-U.S. Center focuses its resources on difficult challenges and promising opportunities for successful action - demonstrating the commercial, social and environmental advantages of sustaining enterprises. We seek to increase local capacity to direct change, encourage policies to mainstream success, learn from our experiences and share results.

Financial support for the Center's activities comes from a full range of sources, with members of the Founders' Circle in the lead role. We welcome your interest in the Center and invite you to join us!