A 23-year-old American in Beijing is studying documents from the recent 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, saying they will help him promote understanding between Chinese and American college students, the future leaders in both countries.

Gavin Newton-Tanzer, a Columbia University political science graduate, is board manager of the Compass International Education Group, which helps Chinese students prepare to study abroad. He also founded the student-run nonprofit Global China Connect, which promotes communication between Chinese and American university students.

"As an education practitioner, I must know new policies and trends in Chinese education," Newton-Tanzer says, referring to his reading about China's new leadership and goals.

The New Yorker can speak fluent, idiomatic Mandarin in Beijing dialect. It's even hard to distinguish his spoken Chinese from that of locals.

When asked by a Chinese reporter whether he wants to take part in competitions for foreigners singing Chinese songs, which are popular in China, he says he hopes to build a career here rather than be a celebrity.

"My honeymoon with Beijing is over, but our relationship has become long term," he says.

In 2007, Newton-Tanzer realized the importance of China, suspended his studies for a year and a half and took his first trip to China. He studied Mandarin at the Beijing Language and Culture University.

"More Americans have acknowledged the influence of a rising China on the world, whether in defense, economic or political fields," he says.

His mother was reluctant to see him move at first, but his father, a General Electric Co vice president, encouraged him to meet different people and get in touch with different cultures.

Former US President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China is just a foothold in history for Newton-Tanzer and his peers, but he looks ahead to broad opportunities in developing relations.

"Relationships based on mutual interests are the most stable," says the pragmatic American. "The countries will rely on each other more deeply despite frictions from time to time."

"There have been so many Chinese people in the United States, while there are many Americans in China, so who is willing to see any conflict?"

As soon as he arrived in Beijing in 2007, he plunged into his studies and immersed himself in the life of the city. He communicated as much as possible with locals and joined student groups at university. "I imitated the most authentic Chinese spoken by local people," he recalls.

At one point, Newton-Tanzer was studying eight hours a day. "Sometimes, I thought I was out of control since I mumbled Chinese when I got up to use the bathroom late at night," he says.

In 2008, he volunteered for the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, expanding his contacts among locals, students and government officials. These helped greatly when he was promoting student exchanges.

He recognizes there are still misunderstandings between Chinese and Americans, even younger generations.

"As world's two largest economies with many differences in ideology and attitudes, it's acceptable for both sides to have misunderstandings," he says.

But he hopes to reduce misunderstandings before students graduate and go on to influence people and make decisions in many fields.

To build bridges, he returned to the US and established the nonprofit Global China Connect (GCC) in 2008.

"It connects future leaders from all nations and assists them in developing the skills and friendships necessary to succeed both in China and internationally," the founder says. The organization is student run.

"Whether attending events, hosting delegations, writing research papers or having a heated discussion over coffee, every interaction among members connects China and the world, building a network of leaders who will shape the future," Newton-Tanzer says.

At first, he and his colleagues struggled. They sent out thousands of e-mails. After three months, they organized their first event and began to build ties with Harvard, Princeton and other schools. They forged ties with student unions in China's top universities, Tsinghua and Peking.

Today the group has branches in more than 80 colleges around the US and links in Australia, Britain, Canada, France and Germany.

Sponsors include companies such as Microsoft Corp and American Airlines.

Some members of Global China Connect have gone on to work in government, banks and large enterprises.

Every two months, Newton-Tanzer travels between China and the US and has a good grasp of the needs and motivations of students on both sides.

"Generally speaking, US students are not afraid of failure while their Chinese peers worry too much," he says, "but Chinese students are masters of strategy in examination-taking."

There are other student-run nonprofit groups promoting communication, but Global China Connect is one of the oldest.

Zhang Kai, vice president of Compass International Education Group, praises Newton-Tanzer's determination.

"He has a clear perspective on Sino-US relations," Zhang says. "After careful analysis of future prospects and in-depth knowledge of China's situation, he decided to do his own business in Beijing now."

He notes Newton-Tanzer made his own big decisions - they were not mapped out by his parents for him.

"From Gavin's story, we see the general difference between Chinese and American young people," Zhang says. "But even if he has a brilliant education and affluent family background, he still has to be modest and respectful if he wants more success in China."

When Newton-Tanzer goes back to New York, everybody asks him about the situation in China.

"I tell them China is a fast-developing country with a long history," he says. "Chinese people pursue the same better life of good medical treatment and housing. They hope their children can get better education and better jobs. They hope the elderly can be properly looked after."