Winston Lord

Winston Lord served as the United States Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from November 1985 through last April 1989, a time of dynamic change in the world’s most populated country.

The president of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations from 1977 to 1985, Ambassador Lord has considerable experience in public service with the U.S. government. He served as senior counselor for the President’s National Bipartisan Commission on Central America from 1983 to 1984 and as Director of Department of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 1973 to 1977. Prior to holding that position, he was a member of the National Security Council Staff and Special Assistant to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from 1969 to 1973.

Ambassador Lord served the Department of Defense from 1967 to 1969 as a member of the Policy Planning Staff for International Security Affairs. Also, he held a number of assignments with the Department of State from 1962 to 1967, including serving: the Office of International Trade, Office of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional Relations and as a member of the negotiating team and Special Assistant to the Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the Kennedy Round of Tariff Negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland.

A native of New York City, Ambassador Lord graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University before finishing first in his class with a master of arts degree from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, for which he serves as a member of its Board of Advisers. He holds honorary doctor of laws degrees from Williams College and Tufts University.

Ambassador Lord is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission and National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Rescue committee. Also, he wrote the lead article in the Fall 1989 issue of the journal Foreign Affairs titled “China and America: Beyond the Big Chill.”