On 7 -8 May, 2014, the First CAS/NAS Forum for New Leaders in Space Science was held successfully in Beijing aiming to promote the communications and exchanges between the young scientists in the US and China. Sponsored by Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the forum was jointly organized by the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NSSC, CAS) and the Space Studies Board of the National Academy of Sciences (SSB, NAS), and hosted by NSSC, CAS.

There are 12 participants from the US coming from SSB, NAS, University of Michigan, New Mexico State University, Hampton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University, while 20 participants from China coming from a range of research institutes under Chinese Academy of Sciences, including NSSC, Institute of High Energy Physics, National Astronomical Observatories, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Purple Mountain Observatory, as well as Wuhan University and Science China Press.

On behalf of CAS, Prof. CAO Jinghua, Deputy Director General of Bureau of International Cooperation, extended his warm welcome to all the participants of the forum and touched upon the Sino-US cooperation in the field of space science from the international cooperation perspective. Prof. Charles Kennel, chair of SSB, NAS and co-chair of the Program Committee of the forum, introduced the history of NAS and expressed his expectation of the forum.

The program of the forum consisted of sessions in the field of space physics and space astronomy where the participants shared their views, thoughts and gave valuable contributions to academic thinking.

At the closing ceremony, Prof. WU Ji, Director General of NSSC and co-chair of the Program Committee and Dr. Michael Moloney, Director of SSB, summarized the general discussion and expressed their wish to make the forum a successful series of bilateral meeting.

The next forum will be hosted by SSB, NAS in Irvine, Los Angeles on 3-4 November, 2014.