The US-China Podcast

China’s Defense Spending – The $700 Billion Distraction Nov 01, 2024

As tensions continue to mount in the U.S.-China relationship, concerns have grown among U.S. political and military leaders regarding China's defense spending, which is often said to be significantly higher than it actually is. In a new report, M. Taylor Fravel, George Gilboy, and Eric Heginbotham argue that the estimate that China’s military spending has surged to $700 billion depends on flawed assumptions and miscalculations. The claim has gained traction in various circles, including in the U.S. Congress and the media, where some suggest China’s military budget is comparable to that of the United States.

In an interview conducted on October 9, 2024, M. Taylor Fravel, George Gilboy, and Eric Heginbotham, in conversation with Maryanne Kivlehan-Wise, discuss the implications of overestimating China’s defense spending and offer alternative methods to gauge China’s spending more accurately.

About the speakers

Fentanyl and U.S.-China Relations in 2024 Oct 31, 2024

The fentanyl crisis is a serious public health and security issue, particularly in the United States, with its high number of overdose deaths. Chinese entities play a significant role in the fentanyl supply chain, from chemical precursors to money laundering. While efforts to regulate production in China have been inconsistent, Beijing’s recent move to restrict fentanyl-related chemicals, after years of U.S. pressure, shows potential cooperation ahead of the U.S. election.

In an interview conducted on October 8, 2024, Zongyuan Zoe Liu and Rick Waters, in conversation with Tobias Smith, explore the critical intersection of the U.S. fentanyl crisis and its impact on U.S.-China relations, particularly in the context of the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/fentanyl-and-us-china-relations-in-2024/

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Using AI to Address Climate Change Oct 16, 2024

Within the first two weeks of October 2024, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton ravaged parts of the United States’ east coast. Notable natural disasters are increasing in frequency and ferocity across both the United States and China, highlighting the urgent need for solutions. Amid the global climate crisis, the capability of artificial intelligence in cutting-edge fields such as extreme weather forecasting and self-driving electric vehicles (EVs) is advancing at an unprecedented rate, showcasing its remarkable potential to address climate issues. What are the challenges in balancing rapid AI development with environmental sustainability? How are the United States and China addressing these concerns?

Kevin Xu joins the National Committee in an interview recorded September 2024 to offer in-depth insights into how China and the United States are utilizing AI technology to address critical climate challenges and potential opportunities for future collaboration.

COVID-19 and U.S.-China Relations Oct 11, 2024

COVID-19 and U.S.-China Relations examines the profound and lasting impact of COVID-19 on Sino-American relations. It covers an array of areas including public health, trade and supply chain challenges, people-to-people connections, shifts in public opinion, rising nationalism, anti-Asian sentiment, and strategic assessments. Since the pandemic’s outbreak in late 2019, China and the United States have both suffered enormously. So too has the U.S.-China relationship, which was already at a low point before COVID-19 accelerated its deterioration. With contributions by leading and emerging scholars from both nations, the open-access volume reflects a collaborative effort, emphasizing the importance of bilateral dialogue. As the world moves beyond the COVID era, this book offers insights into potential pathways for rebuilding and redefining U.S.-China relations.

In an interview conducted on September 26, 2024, volume editor Zheng Wang is joined by chapter contributors Yanzhong Huang and Joan Kaufman in conversation with Margaret Lewis.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/covid-19-and-u-s-china-relations/

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How Does China Folk House Bridge Rural Communities? Sep 27, 2024

What is a traditional Chinese farmhouse doing in West Virginia? Rather than allow the historic home to be demolished, Dr. John flower and a team of Chinese and U.S. volunteers moved the house over eight thousand miles from China to the United States. China Folk House rebuilt the traditional Yunnan-style home in West Virginia with over 22 thousand hours of volunteer labor from community members and students. China Folk House aims to serve as a cultural exchange project, connecting U.S. and Chinese rural communities in cultural exchange, as well as spreading and preserving knowledge of local issues and traditional practices.

In an interview recorded on August 30, 2024, John Flower discusses his vision for the China Folk House project and its purpose to bridge rural communities in West Virginia and Yunnan through architecture and craftsmanship.

David Zweig on The War for Chinese Talent in America Sep 20, 2024

To overcome “brain drain,” some countries encourage their overseas nationals to use the knowledge they gained abroad to help their motherlands. Since the mid-1990s, China’s party-state efforts include a wide array of programs and incentives to encourage overseas talent to transfer their knowledge back home. Many Chinese working abroad participate, some to strengthen their former homeland, others from self-interest. Author David Zweig's new book, The War for Chinese Talent in America: The Politics of Technology and Knowledge in Sino-U.S. Relations, documents China’s effort to access U.S. technology and America’s vigorous counterattacks and efforts to disrupt the transfer of American technology to China.

In an interview conducted on September 10, 2024, David Zweig, in conversation with Yangyang Cheng, explores the status of Sino-American scientific collaboration and the outflow of some top Chinese talent from the United States back to China.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/the-war-for-chinese-talent-in-america/

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How Chinese Immigration Shaped Canada & the U.S. Sep 18, 2024

In both the United States and Canada, geopolitical tensions with China have given rise to domestic suspicions and even legal restrictions on Chinese communities. Both nations have a history of discriminatory laws and policies that excluded Chinese communities, leaving a legacy of anti-Asian sentiment that persists today. Recent events, including the spike in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and laws prohibiting Chinese nationals from purchasing property in some U.S. states, echo these historical patterns of exclusion and discrimination.

In an interview recorded on August 13, 2024, Henry Yu explores the relevance of historic Chinese migration on the Pacific coast to contemporary geopolitics, and how acknowledging this shared past can help foster more informed discussions on race and immigration in North America.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/chinese-immigration-canada-us/

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“Made in China” Goes Abroad: U.S.-China-Mexico Trade & EV Market Insights Sep 16, 2024

The 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) established barrier-free trade among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Several Chinese private-sector companies have set up manufacturing companies in Mexico that sell to the United States, thereby hoping to work around U.S. tariffs on Chinese-made products. As Chinese companies move production lines to Mexico, the United States grows more concerned about Chinese dominance in the global market. One prominent case study is in the electric vehicle (EV) market: Chinese EV manufacturers, which originally faced high tariffs in the U.S. market, are building up their manufacturing capacity in Mexico. The growing presence of comparatively cheaper Chinese EV materials in the U.S. market could present a threat to the future of U.S. EV companies.

In this interview recorded on September 3, 2024, join Meg Rithmire as she interviews Jorge Guajardo and Michael Dunne about the U.S.-China-Mexico economic relationship and its significance to the global electric vehicle market.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/made-in-china-us-mexico-china-ev/

Follow Jorge Guajardo on X: @jorge_guajardo

Follow Michael Dunne on X: @dunne_insights

Follow Meg Rithmire on X: @MegRithmire

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What's the Future of the BRI? Sep 09, 2024

75% of China's over $1.1 trillion loans to low- and middle-income countries will have entered their repayment period by 2030. How will this debt be dealt with? The goals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have evolved since its inception in 2013 and so have environmental protection standards and public opinion relating to BRI projects. How has the BRI navigated through existing and impending issues? How does China address scrutiny over the BRI's environmental and social protections, debt repayment setbacks, and other challenges?

In an interview recorded on July 8, 2024, Ammar A. Malik, senior research scientist at AidData, joins the National Committee to review the evolution of the Belt and Road Initiative’s goals and the future of the BRI.

The Future of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement Sep 06, 2024

The U.S.-China Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement (STA), signed in 1979, was the first major bilateral agreement between the United States and China. Since then, it has been renewed multiple times and has facilitated China’s integration into the global economy. However, experts agree that the agreement no longer reflects China’s expanded scientific and technological (S&T) capacity, nor does it address U.S. concerns about China’s S&T practices and policies. After two six month extensions approved by President, the STA expired on August 27th, 2024.

In an interview conducted on August 21, 2024, Scott Moore speaks with Yasheng Huang and Deborah Seligsohn about current U.S.-China scientific collaboration, the legacy of the STA, and the potential future of an STA 2.0.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/chinese-migrants-at-the-border/

Follow Deborah Seligsohn on X: @DebSeligsohn

Follow Yasheng Huang on X: @YashengHuang

Follow Scott Moore on X: @water_futures

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How U.S. and Chinese Courts Will Shape the AI Revolution Sep 04, 2024

The United States and China are racing towards AI dominance. Many people don't know that artists and writers are at the forefront of shaping the legal future of AI. As both U.S. and Chinese AI tools grow ever-more sophisticated, courtrooms in both countries are left to decide legal boundaries on intellectual property issues. However, with AI's rapid development and an increasing focus on data security, blind spots in AI policy will continue to loom over not only artists and content creators but the future of U.S.-China tech relations. How will differing approaches to AI regulation in the United States and China shape both ordinary users and the future of AI?

In an interview recorded on August 15, 2024, Johanna Costigan joins the National Committee to discuss AI policy divergence and cooperation opportunities in the United States and China.

The Recent Influx of Chinese Migrants across the U.S.-Mexico Border Aug 30, 2024

In 2023, U.S. border officials arrested over 37,000 Chinese nationals at the southern border, ten times as many as the previous year. The trend is so pronounced that “walking the line” (走线), as the journey from Central/South America to the U.S. southern border is known on Chinese social media, has become a buzzword in Chinese society. The resulting influx of Chinese migrants into the United States has drawn the attention of mainstream U.S. media, prompting calls for policymakers to act. The Department of Homeland Security announced on July 2, 2024, that it had sent 116 Chinese migrants back to China from the United States in the first “large charter flight” in five years, and will continue to work with China on future removal flights.

In a conversation moderated by Meredith Oyen on August 13, 2024, Gil Guerra and Leland Lazarus shared information about the issues surrounding current Chinese migrants and discussed the U.S. policy responses.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/chinese-migrants-at-the-border/

Follow Gil Guerra on X: @gildeguerra

Follow Leland Lazarus on X: @LelandLazarus

Follow Meredith Oyen on X: @MeredithOyen

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Peter Hessler on China’s Evolving Education System Aug 28, 2024

In 1996, when Peter Hessler first went to China to teach, almost all of his students were first-generation college students. Most came from large rural families, and their parents, subsistence farmers, could offer little guidance as their children entered a new world. By 2019, when Mr. Hessler arrived at Sichuan University, he found a very different China, as well as a new kind of student – an only child whose schooling was the object of intense focus from a much more ambitious cohort of parents. China’s education system offers a means of examining the country’s past, present, and future. At a time when anti-Chinese rhetoric in America has grown intense, Other Rivers is a work of empathy that shows us China from the inside out and the bottom up.

In an interview conducted on August 6, 2024, Peter Hessler, in conversation with Lenora Chu, looks at Chinese education as a way to understand both China and the United States.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/peter-hessler-other-rivers/

Follow Peter Hessler on X: @peterhessler

Follow Lenora Chu on X: @LenoraChu

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Understanding China’s transformation firsthand with David Moser Aug 08, 2024

Arriving in China more than thirty years ago with nothing more than an interest in Chinese culture and philosophy, David Moser ended up witnessing China’s monumental evolution from a country just discovering Coca Cola to a wealthy, worldly, and confident nation. His experiences in China inspired his enthusiasm for cultural exchange, the importance of curiosity, and the necessity of dialogue to grow greater understanding of the country he calls home.

In an interview recorded on July 5, 2024, David Moser joins the National Committee to discuss his insights into Chinese culture and the importance of engaging with each other through shared humanity.

The Road Ahead for China’s Economy after the Third Plenum Aug 02, 2024

What will China’s economic policy look like over the next five years? Since the launch of Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms in 1978, the Third Plenum (held every five years) has served as a platform for China’s leadership to convey its vision for the country’s economic future. Originally expected to convene in fall 2023, this Third Plenum was postponed until mid-July 2024. Although there was no public explanation for the delay, it is clear that China’s economy is at a crossroads. Since the last Third Plenum in 2018, the world has been through a pandemic; competitive tension with the U.S. has been on the rise; and China faces challenges that include an aging population, youth unemployment, and a troubled property sector. Foreign tariffs on Chinese goods have also increased, just as the CCP leadership navigates its role as a burgeoning global power in a time of international conflict and polarization.

Scott Kennedy, in conversation with Lizzi Lee, explores the implications of this Third Plenum for the future of China’s economy, economic policy, and international trade.

Should Chinese nationals be permitted to purchase property in the United States? Jul 09, 2024

In May 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB264 (23R) into law, prohibiting Chinese nationals and those from some other countries from purchasing homes and other real estate in Florida. Republican state officials say the law is necessary to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Lawmakers in several states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama, are considering similar restrictions on Chinese citizens owning property. Is the concern that propelled the law legitimate? How does it affect immigration from China? What are some potential consequences for Chinese citizens residing in the United States? What is the impact on the bilateral relationship?

On June 26, 2024, Elizabeth Plantan discussed the impact of Florida’s property law and other state-level laws aimed to restrict Chinese property ownership in the U.S. with Matthew Erie and Mae M. Ngai.

About the speakers

Follow Matthew Erie on X: @MatthewErie

Follow Elizabeth Plantan on X: @Enplantan

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What are China’s global ambitions? Jul 05, 2024

China is growing in prominence on the world stage, highlighted by its leadership roles in international forums like the United Nations, peacebuilding efforts, and pioneering of economic relationships through the Belt and Road Initiative. Though China’s development offers new opportunities, its rise is also seen by many as a direct challenge to the post-World War II order largely established by the United States and allies. What is China’s desired role in the world, and what might a future shaped by Chinese goals and priorities look like?

In an interview filmed on June 6, 2024, NCUSCR Director Elizabeth Economy joins the National Committee to discuss China’s new world order and the role of the United States in a world where China has greater influence.

About the speaker

Follow Elizabeth Economy on X: @LizEconomy

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Should the U.S. Decouple from China? Jun 24, 2024

In 2022, the trade volume between the United States and China topped $750 billion dollars. Despite the deep economic interconnection between the two largest economies, both countries have been taking steps to separate their supply chains from each other—a process known as decoupling. What is the drive behind the U.S. desire to decouple from China and the ongoing trade war, and is it possible to decouple from China completely?

In an interview filmed on March 8, 2024, Clark Packard discusses how decoupling would affect the American and global economy.

About the speaker

Follow Clark Packard on X: @PackardClark

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High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs Its Economy Jun 07, 2024

In High Wire, Angela Zhang explores how China regulates its tech sector. By analyzing the incentives and interactions among the key players, Ms. Zhang introduces a dynamic pyramid model to analyze the structure, process, and outcome of China’s unique regulatory system. She showcases the self-regulatory tactics employed by Chinese tech titans to survive and thrive in an institutional environment plagued by fraud and corruption. The 2020-2022 tech crackdown led to the private sector’s retreat and the state’s advancement in the tech industry. These regulatory shifts have also steered investors from consumer tech businesses toward hardcore technologies that are essential for China’s bid to match, and perhaps overtake, the United States in innovation.

In an interview conducted on May 24, 2024, Angela Zhang, in conversation with Winston Ma, focuses on the recent past, present, and future of China’s tech governance, especially in the realm of generative artificial intelligence.

About the speakers

Follow Richard Fontaine on X: @AngelaZhangHK

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Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power May 31, 2024

There is wide bipartisan agreement that Asia belongs at the center of U.S. foreign policy. What has been achieved since the Obama administration announced its “Pivot to Asia” in 2011? Robert Blackwill and Richard Fontaine argue in Lost Decade: The U.S. Pivot to Asia and the Rise of Chinese Power that although the pivot made strategic sense, there have been few successes; furthermore, we need a far more coherent approach to the Indo-Pacific region. The authors stress that American policymakers must fully understand what the pivot to Asia aimed to achieve – and where it fell short – to gather the resources and forge the alliances and resolve necessary to preserve an open order in Asia and the world. Crafting an effective policy for the region is critical to preserving American security, prosperity, and democratic values.

In an interview conducted on May 14, 2024, Ambassador Robert D. Blackwill and Richard Fontaine discuss the recent shift to Asia-centric geopolitics and its implications for America’s present and future.

About the speakers

Follow Richard Fontaine on X: @RHFontaine

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Divided Paths: Europe’s Divergent Approaches to China May 28, 2024

In the wake of Xi Jinping’s first visit to Europe in five years, the European Union and China continue to navigate an increasingly challenging period in relations. Concerns over growing trade imbalances, unfair subsidies in key industries, high-profile espionage cases, and China’s continued support for Russia and its war on Ukraine place increasing strain on this pivotal relationship. At the same time, economic interconnectivity and shared concerns over transnational issues like climate change and AI governance compel coordination and cooperation. President Xi’s recent visits to France, Hungary, and Serbia have underscored the divisions within the European Union regarding China policy, leaving the path forward uncertain.

At this critical juncture, on May 15, 2024, Jason Kelly sat down with Noah Barkin and Janka Oertel to unpack recent developments, key issues, and the road ahead for China and the European Union.

About the speakers

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/europe-china-relations/

Follow Noah Barkin on X: @noahbarkin

Follow Janka Oertel on X: @oertel_janka

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Balancing Economic Prosperity and National Security May 25, 2024

The U.S.-China bilateral relationship is a competitive one, from economics to security, diplomacy to geopolitics, technology to the oceans and deep space. It is subject to varying degrees of tension, punctuated by intermittent cooperation and now, a resumption of selective dialogue. Each side views the other with suspicion and the policies of both are in keeping with a sense of alarm. Yet the two countries seem to agree that decoupling the two economies would be a grave mistake and that security, including technological preeminence, is essential to development, growth, leadership, and sovereignty.

Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky spoke at the National Committee’s Annual Members Program on May 21, 2024, with NCUSCR Director Amy Celico. They discussed the foundations of the U.S.-China relationship, the policy focus and goals of each side, and opportunities for greater collaboration even in the face of political sensitivities and the de-risking driving economic and trade ties.

About the speakers: ncuscr.org/video/charlene-barshefsky-members-program

Follow Amy Celico on X: @AmyCelico

Is the U.S. or Chinese military bigger? | U.S.-China Counterpoints May 21, 2024

The military force of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is the largest standing army in the world. However, the United States maintains the highest military expenditure in the world. How can Americans evaluate whether the U.S. or Chinese military is bigger?

In an interview conducted on April 15, 2024, Isaac Kardon discusses the comparative capabilities of the PLA and U.S. militaries, and how strategists evaluate the threat the PLA holds towards American territories.

U.S.-China Counterpoints explores common perspectives on the U.S.-China relationship held by those in both countries. Guided by leading experts, this series examines the facts behind common viewpoints, and the details that shape U.S.-China relations behind the headlines.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/pla-us-military

Follow Isaac Kardon on X: @IBKardon

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Is it possible to win the U.S.-China trade war? May 17, 2024

A full-out trade war erupted between the United States and China during the Trump administration, increasing tariffs on Chinese imports in dozens of sectors and leading to rising business competition and costs to consumers. How has this ongoing trade war impacted everyday U.S. and Chinese citizens? And how will the Biden administration handle the current tariffs placed on Chinese goods?

KU Trade War Lab Director Jack Zhang joined the National Committee to discuss the national and global consequences of the U.S.-China trade war on May 7, 2024.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/us-china-trade-war/

Follow Jack Zhang on X: @HanFeiTzu

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How is China promoting peace? May 10, 2024

China was able to broker a historic global security agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, changing not only the Middle East’s regional dynamics, but also China’s position on the global diplomatic stage. China performs a balancing act between being a responsible stakeholder in world affairs, including the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars, and upholding its value of non-interference in other countries’ politics. Why is China positioning itself as a global peace broker and conflict mediator? What does this position say about China’s national trajectory and its relationship with the United States?

What’s are the advantages of China positioning itself as a global peace broker and conflict mediator? What does this position say about China’s national trajectory and its relationship with the United States? Preston Jordan Lim joined the National Committee on May 6, 2024 to discuss the diplomatic goals and national strategy of China’s engagement in global conflicts and resolutions.

About the speaker

Follow Preston Jordan Lim on X: @PrestonJordanL1

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Should the U.S. give more support to Taiwan? May 06, 2024

Official U.S. policy towards Taiwan focuses on developing robust non-state relations with the island while advocating for a peaceful resolution to the cross-strait conflict. When considering American policy towards Taiwan, is more U.S. support good for Taiwan and regional peace?

Sara Newland, Assistant Professor of Government at Smith College, discusses the need to pay attention to Taiwan’s own desires and needs in the context of the China-U.S.-Taiwan relationship in this latest installment of U.S.-China Counterpoints in an interview conducted on November 3, 2023.

U.S.-China Counterpoints explores common perspectives on the U.S.-China relationship held by those in both countries. Guided by leading experts, this series examines the facts behind common viewpoints, and the details that shape U.S.-China relations behind the headlines.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/should-us-support-taiwan/

Follow Sara Newland on X: @NewlandSara

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A Look Inside China's Emissions Trading System Apr 26, 2024

China is the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, making its carbon abatement plans crucial to the future of global climate change mitigation. The country’s flagship climate goals aim to peak carbon levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 (“30-60 goals”). China has moved more slowly in developing its emissions trading system (ETS) than in other carbon abatement areas. 2021 marked the inception of China’s ETS, the largest carbon emissions market in the world. At the onset, the ETS showed promising returns, with close to $200 million tons of trading in the first transaction period (July-December 2021). However, over the past few years, China has moved slowly to expand the ETS to include more industries. Most recently, the government passed a new series of regulations that will strengthen the legitimacy of the market and authorize more penalties for companies that fabricate or fail to report their emissions.

On April 4, 2024, Michael Davidson joins Max Song and Xiaolu Zhao to discuss China’s emissions trading system and its implications for domestic and international climate goals.

About the speakers

Follow Max Song on X: @Pericarus

Follow Michael Davidson on X: @east_winds

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Conserving China’s Wilderness Apr 24, 2024

In a nation famous for its megacities, it’s hard to grasp that China is the world’s third most biodiverse country and 42% uninhabited wilderness. Yet protecting wild Chinese flora and fauna is crucial to preserving a healthy climate. How does China interact with the wilderness on their doorstep, and how are conservation efforts bridging the gap between man and nature?

In an interview recorded on February 28, 2024, conservationist Kyle Obermann joins us for Earth Month to share his experiences documenting China’s little-known wild places.

About the speaker

Follow Kyle Obermann on X: @KyleExplores

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What will a potential TikTok ban mean for Chinese tech in the U.S.? Apr 22, 2024

A TikTok ban moved one step closer to reality when the House passed the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” in March 2024, and then moved to package the Act with foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan in mid-April. Though not yet a law, the bill draws attention to the deepening tech competition between the U.S. and China. While Chinese companies do manage to find space in U.S. markets and popularity with American consumers, at the same time they raise the suspicions of the U.S. government. TikTok is not the first Chinese tech company to run up against U.S. lawmakers or regulators, but the precedent set by TikTok’s case could impact U.S.-China relations for years to come.

In an interview recorded March 25, 2024, Wenchi Yu joins us to discuss how Chinese companies can better adapt and localize to the U.S. market and pave the way for healthier U.S.-China business relations.

About the speaker

Follow Wenchi Yu on X: @WenchiY

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The future of U.S.-China climate diplomacy Apr 19, 2024

On November 14th, 2023, the United States and China jointly issued the “Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis” which introduced several areas for U.S.-China climate cooperation. The statement aims to increase activities between states, provinces, and cities in the two countries, and to restart Track 1, 1.5, and 2 dialogues on energy transition strategies.

Meanwhile, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, the two veteran climate envoys responsible for hammering out global deals to address climate change, have both recently stepped down. Their successors, Liu Zhenmin and John Podesta, will build on a foundation of goodwill and communication, but have major challenges ahead. On March 29, 2024, Kelly Sims Gallagher and Li Shuo join the National Committee to discuss the future of U.S.-China climate diplomacy.

About the speakers

Follow Kelly Sims Gallagher on X: @kellysgallagher

Follow Li Shuo on X: @LiShuo_GP

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U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell: CHINA Town Hall 2024 Apr 15, 2024

The 2024 CHINA Town Hall program took place on Tuesday, April 9, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, with featured speaker Dr. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State. Missed the event? Watch a recording of the livestream here.

CHINA Town Hall (CTH), a two-part program that provides a snapshot of the current U.S.-China relationship and examines how that relationship reverberates at the local level – in our towns, states, and nation, connects Americans around the country with U.S. policymakers and thought leaders on China.

Since CTH began in 2007, the National Committee has proudly partnered with a range of institutions and civic groups, colleges and universities, trade and business associations, world affairs councils, and think tanks to convene town halls and bring this important national conversation to local communities around America (and a few overseas).

About the speaker

About CHINA Town Hall

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Living U.S.-China Relations: From Cold War to Cold War Apr 05, 2024

David M. Lampton’s new book addresses a core critique of the management of Sino-American relations across eight administrations: that naïve American elites conflated their hopes for democracy and a globally responsible China with the actual prospects for those ends, and, in the process, traded away American interests, competitive position, and national security. The book challenges that narrative.

Developments in the U.S.-China relationship are converging in ways that are setting off major alarms; the level of hazard is unlike anything we have seen in a half-century. Living U.S.-China Relations describes the current situation and explains what has brought us to this juncture.

In an interview conducted on March 5, 2024, David M. Lampton, in conversation with Jan Berris and Gina Tam, discusses U.S.-China ties as a relationship between two societies, not just two states, through the vantage point of the author’s lived experience over nearly six decades.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/living-us-china-relations-cold-war/

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Has engagement with China failed? | U.S.-China Counterpoints Apr 02, 2024

At the height of the Cold War, the United States made a bold political gamble to engage with an underdeveloped and politically isolated China. Engagement policy transformed not only the Cold War political landscape, but the trajectory of history: China is now one of the largest and most powerful economies in the world, and is widely considered by Americans to be a rival.

In this new era of U.S.-China relations, “engagement” has become a target for criticism in American political circles. Does it deserve this reputation? In an interview recorded on December 12, 2023, Diana Fu and Yun Sun discuss the legacy of engagement policy and what lessons Americans can learn from the past five decades of relations with China.

U.S.-China Counterpoints explores common perspectives on the U.S.-China relationship held by those in both countries. Guided by leading experts, this series examines the facts behind common viewpoints, and the details that shape U.S.-China relations behind the headlines.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/counterpoints-engagement/

Follow Diana Fu on X: @dianafutweets

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#7 Two Giant Neighbors of the Pacific Islands: U.S.-China & the World Mar 29, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

The Pacific Islands lie in China’s and the United States’ backyards. How can the two countries become better neighbors to the region to better the lives of those living in the Pacific? Graeme Smith, professor and podcast host, joined the National Committee on July 27, 2023 to broadly discuss the perspective from the Pacific Islands.

About the speaker

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Follow Graeme Smith on X: @GraemeKSmith

Listen to The Little Red Podcast

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China’s Role in Red Sea Security Mar 25, 2024

The United States and its allies have been combating Houthi attacks that have left vital Red Sea shipping lanes vulnerable. China, however, has contributed little to these international efforts. Tensions have risen amid calls for China to join the international effort, prompting discussions on the nation’s role in safeguarding maritime security in the Red Sea.

How can China and the United States work together or separately to help restore stability and security in the crucial Red Sea region, and what is holding back cooperation? In a discussion moderated by Dawn Murphy on March 18, 2024, Isaac Kardon and Sun Yun analyze the shipping lane crisis and China’s role in Red Sea security.

About the speakers

Follow Dawn Murphy on X: @DawnMurphyChina

Follow Isaac Kardon on X: @IBKardon

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Where Will China’s Economy Go in 2024? Mar 22, 2024

China’s economy is infused into every aspect of the U.S.-China relationship. With tighter U.S. export controls on chips, new technology developments in China, a slowdown in consumer activity, rising electric vehicle competition, and prickly government relations, the Chinese and American economies were inextricably linked in 2023. What will happen in 2024 as the U.S. presidential election brings more uncertainty to U.S.-China relations? Understanding where China’s macroeconomic trends are heading – and how they may affect American consumers – is crucial to managing other areas of the bilateral relationship.

Economists are split on whether the Chinese economy is stable or on the edge of a debt crisis. In this program on March 14, 2024, National Committee President Stephen Orlins joins Amy Celico and Barry Naughton to help make sense of different economic and policy projections for China’s economy in 2024 (and beyond).

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/chinas-economy-2024/

Follow Amy Celico on X: @AmyCelico

Follow Barry Naughton on X: @bnaughton

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Perspectives on 2024’s Two Sessions Mar 19, 2024

The annual meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known as the “Two Sessions” (“Lianghui”), feature the gathering of political leaders in Beijing each spring to announce plans and goals for the coming year. In 2024, faced with concerns over stalling economic growth, increased tension in the South China Sea, and elections in Taiwan and the United States, the Two Sessions has been in the spotlight for both international and domestic audiences. What are the key implications of the 2024 Two Sessions for the state and trajectory of U.S.-China relations?

In an interview conducted on March 14, 2024, Jessica Teets and Jack Zhang discuss the implications of the 2024 Two Sessions for China’s economy, politics, and foreign policy with Mary Gallagher.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/2024-two-sessions/

Follow Mary Gallagher on X: @MaryGao

Follow Jack Zhang on X: @HanFeiTzu

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How a Rusting Warship Became the Hotspot of the South China Sea Mar 15, 2024

Second Thomas Shoal, a feature in the South China Sea, is highly contested: both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over this area and have confronted each other repeatedly around the shoal, stirring tensions that have escalated into a military confrontation between the two countries. The Chinese Embassy in Manila announced that the Chinese Coast Guard would continue law enforcement activities around the Second Thomas Shoal and condemned the Philippines’ presence in the region; the government of the Philippines insists that it has sovereignty. Both sides state that the other is violating international law.

China’s sovereignty claims in the South China Sea have long been a point of contention for some Southeast Asian countries, the United States, and others. Conflict management in the Second Thomas Shoal has lasting implications for China's neighbors.

On March 8, 2024, Jennifer Staats discusses rising tension in Second Thomas Shoal and China-Philippine relations with Jay Batongbacal and Frances Wang.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/south-china-sea-second-thomas-shoal/

Follow Jay Batongbacal on X: @JayBatongbacal

Follow Frances Wang on X: @YapingW

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#6 Who are Serbia's partners? : U.S.-China & the World Mar 08, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

Serbia-China relations are woven together by free trade agreements and national security. What do Serbians think of the U.S.-China relationship? How does the country navigate a path between the world’s two greatest superpowers? Stefan Vladisavljev joins the National Committee on September 21, 2023 to help us understand what Serbia wants and its attitudes towards China and the United States.

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Follow Stefan Vladisavljev on X: @vladisavljev_s

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Studying in China as a Black Man/How Black Musicians Brought Jazz to China Mar 01, 2024

Part 1

In 1997, Marketus Presswood was the only Black student in his language program in Beijing, China. His experience navigating race, culture, and identity between China and the U.S. shaped his current research into socio-cultural interactions between Africa, the African Diaspora and China in the twentieth century. Studying abroad in China is not just crucial for American national security, but an important way for young Americans and Chinese to see they have more in common than not.

Part 2

In the early twentieth century, Black and African American musicians brought jazz to China via the ballrooms and music halls of Shanghai. Musical connections between Chinese and Americans flourished through personal interactions and left an indelible imprint on the global state of jazz and China’s own music history.

In an interview recorded January 25, 2024, Spelman College Assistant Professor Marketus Presswood discusses the history of people-to-people relations between Chinese and American musicians, and the necessity of study abroad equity for underrepresented groups of young Americans.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/china-black-history-month/

Follow Marketus Presswood on X: @Marketusp

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#5 US & China's Power is Transforming Kenya: U.S.-China & the World Feb 23, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

In the time since Kenya and China normalized relations in 1963, China has become Kenya’s largest trading partner in addition to large economic involvement, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the establishment of Chinese businesses in Kenya. What does Kenya need to consider when navigating its separate relationships with the United States and China? Professor Elijah Munyi joined the National Committee on August 18, 2023 to help us understand Kenya’s diplomatic balance between China and the United States.

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What is it like to study abroad in China as a Black student? Feb 16, 2024

NCUSCR staffers Elisabeth Fisher and Bailey Johnson discuss their experiences studying in China, how they balanced exploring a new culture and developing their own identities, and the importance of Black History Month through the study abroad experience.

Find their bios here: https://www.ncuscr.org/staff/

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#4 Poland on the Edge of NATO: U.S.-China & the World Feb 10, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

As a NATO member and bordering country of the Russia-Ukraine war, Poland juggles the complex yet necessary social, political, and security factors. How does China impact Poland’s goals, and how will the United States respond to Chinese involvement in the region? On September 13, 2023, Alijca Bachulska joined the National Committee and dove into the concerns and desires of Poland.

About the speaker

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Follow Alijca Bachulska on X: @a_bachulska

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Precarious Ties: Business and the State in Authoritarian Asia Feb 05, 2024

Meg Rithmire’s book, Precarious Ties: Business and the State in Authoritarian Asia, compares state-business relations in China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It explains why initial partnerships for growth between political and business elites disintegrated into corruption and financial instability in all three countries, and why some patterns of corruption and cronyism are more destructive for economic and political stability than others. She argues that China is similar to Indonesia in many ways, with endemic distrust between business and political elites creating a form of “mutual endangerment.” In both countries, fraud, asset expatriation, and cronyism reflect mutual enmeshment in illegal dealings to guarantee safety. In recent years, the CCP has pursued discipline of the private sector that seems to borrow from Malaysia, especially the party-state in corporate governance roles.

In an interview conducted on January 18, 2024, Meg Rithmire, in conversation with Yeling Tan, focuses on the relationship between business and the state in China.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/business-state-authoritarian-asia/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/business-state-authoritarian-asia/

Follow Meg Rithmire on X: @MegRithmire

Follow Yeling Tan on X: @YelingT

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Americans Feel More Threat from China Now than in Past Three Decades – Chicago Council on Global Affairs Survey Jan 29, 2024

According to a Chicago Council survey conducted in September 2023, Americans are more concerned about China’s rise now than at any point since the end of the Cold War. A record level of Americans consider China’s transformation into a global power to be a threat to U.S. interests, and are more likely to say that the U.S. government’s efforts to counter China’s rise have been insufficient.

Although those surveyed are confident in U.S. military power compared to China’s military power, Americans are divided on which country is stronger economically. From human rights to intellectual property rights, Americans are more likely to say that the U.S. government’s response to China has not gone far enough than to say it has been about right.

In an interview recorded on January 19, 2024 with Kate Kaup, Craig Kafura discusses the findings of the Chicago Council’s survey on U.S. attitudes towards China.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/chicago-council-china-threat/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/chicago-council-china-threat/

Follow Craig Kafura on X: @ckafura

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#3 Nepal landlocked in a "gigantic neighborhood": U.S.-China & the World Jan 26, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

The South Asian state of Nepal, wedged between China and India, balances and leverages its strategic interests and responsibilities between its much larger neighbors. Where does Nepal stand on the U.S.-China relationship? Professor Gaurav Bhattarai (Tribhuvan University) joined the National Committee on July 31, 2023, to investigate the triangular relationship between the United States, China, and Nepal.

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Follow Gaurav Bhattarai on X: @Gauravbhattarai

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#2 What is Italy trying to signal?: U.S.-China & the World Jan 19, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions affected by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

Italian domestic politics and role in global developmental projects changed drastically in 2023. What will Italian infrastructure and economy look like after Italy leaves the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)? Professor Matteo Dian joined the National Committee on August 29, 2023 to discuss how the Italian public and government understands itself in relation to the U.S.-China relationship.

About the speaker

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Follow Matteo Dian on X: @matteo_dian

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Analyzing Taiwan's Election Results Jan 16, 2024

Nearly 20 million voters in Taiwan went to the polls over the weekend to elect a new president. The a results will have outsize importance to Taiwan’s future, its relations with the United States and China, as well as U.S.- China relations more broadly. With the votes now counted, the incumbent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will retain the presidency as William Lai Ching-te looks to build on the work of his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen.

As the world closely monitors the Taiwan Strait to discern the implications of these election results, it is crucial to gain insights directly from Taiwan to understand the issues that influenced the outcome and anticipate what comes next within the Taiwan-China-United States triangle. In an interview conducted on January 14, 2024 in Taipei, Margaret Lewis delves into the details of Taiwan’s 2024 election results with Yu-Jie Chen and Brian Hioe.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/taiwan-election-results/

Read the transcript here

Follow Yu-Jie Chen on X: @yujiechentw

Follow Brian Hioe on X: @brianhioe

Follow Margaret Lewis on X: @MargaretKLewis

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#1 Don't make Southeast Asia choose sides: U.S.-China & the World Jan 12, 2024

U.S.-China & the World is an interview series investigating how the U.S.-China relationship impacts societies, economies, and policies around the globe. Through short interviews with local experts, this series takes a closer look at the countries and regions impacted by and navigating through U.S.-China tensions—and ultimately, how the United States and China together can build a better future for the international community.

The countries of Southeast Asia represent a large diversity of diplomatic stances, tactics, and goals on the global political stage. What can the United States and China do to further the interests of Southeast Asian nations? From the South China Seas to trade and climate, China and the United States must take into consideration Southeast Asia’s regional interests. Selina Ho joined the National Committee on April 1, 2023, to discuss Southeast Asia’s social and political dynamics within the great context of the U.S.-China relationship.

Follow Selina Ho on X: @selinalcho

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Introducing U.S.-China & the World! Jan 12, 2024

Apparently, the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Why, and for whom?

Introducing our new segment on The US-China Podcast, U.S.-China & the World! Experts from around the world tell us about how the U.S.-China relationship impacts their countries on matters including, but not limited to, climate change, healthcare, economics, and security. You’ll hear experts from regions such as Southeast Asia, South America, the Pacific Islands, and more.

Follow along as the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations takes you around the world to answer the question, “How can the United States and China work together to make the world a better place?”

Want to suggest a country or region for us to cover? Email us at communications@ncuscr.org

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China on My Mind | Mary Brown Bullock Dec 29, 2023

The United States and China are at a crossroads today. Will the two nations be enemies, or will they continue to engage with each other? Mary Brown Bullock, who first visited China nearly 50 years ago, explores this question in her latest book, China on My Mind. Her memoir describes being a missionary child in Asia, studying China from afar, leading the first exchanges of students, being a college president, and establishing an American university in China. Dr. Bullock, an optimist and long-term participant, concludes with today’s uncertainty as many institutions including Duke University, Ford Foundation, China Medical Board, United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, and others face a new era of relations with China.

In an interview conducted on December 21, 2023, Mary Brown Bullock discusses the past, present, future of U.S-China relations through the lenses of a trained historian, an academic administrator, and a frequent visitor.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/china-on-my-mind/

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/china-on-my-mind/

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India, China, and the US in Space Dec 22, 2023

In the summer of 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched a lunar-exploration mission, making India the fourth country to land on the moon. Now that India has joined China and the United States in the ranks of major space-faring countries, there is huge potential for outer space cooperation between the three nations. How will the United States, China, and India work together on shared challenges, such as space debris and traffic management? Significant obstacles to healthy cooperation remain because of geopolitical tensions here on planet Earth.

In an interview filmed on November 3, 2023, Namrata Goswami joins the National Committee to discuss the future of U.S.-China-India space cooperation and competition.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/india-china-united-states-space/

Follow Namrata Goswami on X: @namygoswami

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Global Frontiers and the Making of Modern China Dec 04, 2023

Shellen Wu’s new book, Birth of the Geopolitical Age: Global Frontiers and the Making of Modern China traces the global history of the frontier in the twentieth century, particularly in China. The global history approach offers a new perspective on the continuities and evolution of the construction of Chinese territoriality from the late nineteenth century through to the People’s Republic of China after 1949. She weaves a narrative that moves through time and space, the lives of individuals, and empires’ rise, fall and rebirth, to show how the reshaping of Chinese geopolitical ambitions in the twentieth century, and the global transformation of frontiers, continues to reorder global power dynamics in East Asia and beyond to this day.

In an interview conducted on November 9, 2023, Shellen Wu, in conversation with James Carter, discusses how China, despite political turmoil and war, navigated the twentieth century with its imperial territory basically intact.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/Global-Frontiers-modern-China/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/Global-Frontiers-modern-China/

Follow James Carter on Twitter: @jayjamescarter

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What's Next for Taiwan? Examining an Unprecedented Election Season Dec 01, 2023

The candidates for Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election, set for January 13, 2024, were finally announced on Friday, November 24 after a dramatic failure of opposition parties to form a coalition against Taiwan’s ruling party. One factor setting this election apart from those previous is the exceptional popularity of a third-party candidate, Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party, which signals a shift in voters’ attitude toward the political system traditionally dominated by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the Kuomintang. But even as many voters look for politicians to address issues like the increasing cost of living, unaffordable housing, and low salaries, debate over the cross-strait relationship continues to underpin the political climate leading up to the elections.

In an interview filmed on November 29, 2023, Dr. Wei-Ting Yen, joins us to discuss what voters in Taiwan have top of mind and what lessons the January elections carry for the United States and beyond.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/taiwan-elections/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/taiwan-elections/

Follow Dr. Wei-Ting Yen on Twitter: @poscwty

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Warming Ties between the U.S. and Chinese militaries? Beijing Xiangshan Forum Nov 28, 2023

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, a high-level security and defense gathering, was convened from October 29 to 31 for the first time since 2019, with the theme, “Common Security, Lasting Peace.”  Delegates from over 40 countries, including the United States and Russia, attended.  What took place? What is the U.S. attitude toward the forum? What is the mood after the long gap in mil-to-mil communication since former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 2022 Taiwan visit? What were the achievements of the forum; will it lead to a thaw between the two militaries? In a conversation moderated by Jennifer Staats on November 16, 2023, Chad Sbragia and Fiona Cunningham, who both attended the 2023 Xiangshan Forum, offer insiders’ views on the proceedings of China’s top annual security forum and discuss its significance.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/beijing-xiangshan-forum/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/beijing-xiangshan-forum/

2:17 Introduction to the Xiangshan forum and U.S. involvement

12:05 Xiangshan forum in current Chinese politics

16:53 U.S.-China security relationship global impact

23:43 What is Russia's role in global seucrity?

32:22 Forum overview: what is the future of China's security and defense?

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What did Biden and Xi accomplish at APEC 2023? Nov 22, 2023

U.S. President Joseph Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in San Francisco on November 15, 2023. After what Biden referred to as “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had,” the two leaders separately announced progress on key issues including combatting the global drug trade, resuming military-to-military communication, importance of people-to-people dialogue, and the need to address AI risks. But flashpoint issues, such as wars in Europe and the Middle East, human rights, and cross-Taiwan Strait tensions remain unresolved.

Following the summit, how will U.S.-China relations evolve over the coming months? In an interview filmed on November 17, 2023, analyst and linguist Titilayo Ogundele joins the National Committee to discuss the impact of Xi’s visit and what we can expect to happen in the bilateral relationship.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/biden-and-xi-accomplish-apec/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/biden-and-xi-accomplish-apec/

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Xi Jinping addresses the American Public at National Committee- hosted dinner Nov 16, 2023

Last night the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and The US-China Business Council co-hosted People's Republic of China President Xi Jinping following the long-anticipated meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco.

On November 15, 2023, President Xi addressed the American public following remarks made by President of the US-China Business Council Craig Allen, U.S. secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and National Committee Chair Evan Greenberg.

Watch the livestream here: https://www.ncuscr.org/livestream/

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What will Joe Biden and Xi Jinping discuss at APEC? Nov 14, 2023

What can senior leaders do to ease tensions between the United States and China? U.S. President Joseph Biden and PRC President Xi Jinping are set to meet this week at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit. It would be the first time President Xi Jinping has visited the United States since 2017, when he met with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Why is his visit so important right now? Professor of Political Science Jack Zhang joins the National Committee on November 9, 2023 to discuss the shared goals between the two leaders, predict the main takeaways from the APEC summit, and help us understand the summit in the greater context of U.S.-China relations.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/biden-xi-apec-2023/

Follow Jack Zhang on Twitter: @HanFeiTzu

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How Powerful is Xi Jinping? Nov 13, 2023

We are re-running an episode recorded in 2022 with Harvard University professor Yuhua Wang on Xi Jinping’s power and influence leading up to the meeting between Presidents Joseph Biden and Xi Jinping at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit this week.

Listen to the original recording and read the transcript.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/how-powerful-is-xi-jinping/

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Ma Ying-jeou Reflects on Cross-Strait and U.S.-China Relations Nov 10, 2023

Dr. Ma Ying-jeou, former president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), has been studying the dynamic across the Strait for over 30 years. In 2015, Dr. Ma met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore, the first face-to-face meeting between leaders from both sides of the Taiwan Strait since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. In an interview recorded on October 18, 2023, Dr. Ma shares insights and recommends solutions based on his personal experiences to the current sharp tensions in U.S.-China and cross-strait relations.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/ma-ying-jeou/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/ma-ying-jeou/

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Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady on Why Sports Diplomacy is a Slam Dunk Nov 06, 2023

The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations held our annual black-tie Gala Dinner on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at The Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York.

NBA All Stars Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady dive into their friendship, highlighting the importance of sports diplomacy and people-to-people exchange in the U.S.-China relationship. The two former Houston Rockets honor each other’s careers, experiences in the United States and China, and the impact of U.S.-China relations on the game.

More about the 2023 Gala: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/2023-gala-dinner

Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ltv109I8JXQ

Follow Yao Ming on Twitter: @YaoMing

Follow Tracy McGrady on Twitter: @tmac_213

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CHINA Town Hall: Nicholas Burns Oct 18, 2023

Current U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns was the featured speaker for CHINA Town Hall 2023, a national conversation on how the U.S.-China relationship affects our communities. The nationwide virtual conversation, including live Q&A, took place on Wednesday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m. ET.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/cth-2023-nicholas-burns/

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/cth-2023-nicholas-burns/

Follow Ambassador Nicholas Burns on Twitter: @USAmbchina

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BRI and BRICS: what's the deal? Oct 10, 2023

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) turned 10 this year, and BRICS, the global economic organization made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has recently expanded. How will these two global endeavors impact the United States and global economic order?

In an interview recorded on September 26, 2023, Ammar A. Malik, senior research scientist at AidData, joins the National Committee to discuss BRI and China involvement with BRICS+.

REGISTER FOR CHINA TOWN HALL: https://www.tfaforms.com/5079195

Watch live: https://www.ncuscr.org/livestream/

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/brics/

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/brics/

Follow Ammar Malik on Twitter: @MalikAmmar

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Will China’s Challenge Lead to a Crisis? Sep 27, 2023

Anxiety about China’s growing military capabilities to threaten Taiwan has induced alarm in Washington about whether the United States is capable of deterring attempts to seize Taiwan by force. This alarm feeds American impulses to alter longstanding policy, and to view challenges confronting Taiwan through a military lens. While Taiwan clearly is under growing military threat, it also is facing an intensifying Chinese political campaign to wear down the will of the Taiwan people. Ryan Hass, Richard Bush, and Bonnie Glaser argue in U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Will China’s Challenge Lead to a Crisis? that discussions of the future of Taiwan should focus on the island’s 23 million people.

In an interview conducted on September 14, 2023, Richard Bush and Bonnie Glaser contend that conflict in the Taiwan Strait is not inevitable, and that it would be foolish for the United States to conclude that it is unavoidable.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/u-s-taiwan-relations/

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/u-s-taiwan-relations/

Follow Bonnie Glaser on Twitter: @BonnieGlaser

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Selling to China: Stories of Success, Failure, and Constant Change Sep 20, 2023

Selling to China: Stories of Success, Failure, and Constant Change, edited by Ker Gibbs, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai during the U.S.-China trade war, is a sobering look at the realities of the intermeshed nature of the Chinese and American economies at a time of increasing political tension. Foreign companies are caught in the middle between compliance with U.S. laws and policies versus doing what is required for support and success in China and access to the world’s largest growth market. Opportunities still exist, but this is a dangerous and complicated time.

In an interview conducted on August 31, 2023, Ker Gibbs discusses the challenges and opportunities of doing business in China at a time of tension and distrust in the bilateral relationship.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/selling-to-china/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/selling-to-china/

Follow Ker Gibbs on Twitter: @KerGibbs

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

People-to-People Relations: The Importance of Personal Experience in China Sep 18, 2023

There are only an estimated 400 American students studying in China. This statistic indicates a sobering new reality for U.S.-China relations—one of decreasing interaction between young Americans and Chinese, and in turn increasing misinformation about China in the U.S. What role can educational institutions play in fostering healthier U.S.-China relations?

Joanna Waley-Cohen, provost of NYU Shanghai, joins us from Shanghai to discuss how a personal understanding of Chinese society and culture can impact students, and the continued necessity of educational ventures such as NYU Shanghai to improved U.S.-China relations.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/personal-experience-in-china/

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Announcement! We're now The US-China Podcast Sep 11, 2023

We are excited to announce the new name for this show: The US-China Podcast. The show will no longer be called NCUSCR Interviews, and we hope the new name makes it easier for you to find the same content we have always been producing and reach wider audiences seeking information on all things U.S.-China relations. Since 1966, the National Committee has been a leader in U.S.-China bilateral engagement and dialogue. We hope you enjoy The US-China Podcast!

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

China’s Growing Influence in Latin America: A Close Look at China-Cuba Relations Aug 31, 2023

China is deepening its ties with Latin American countries through free trade agreements and investments in Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure projects. At the same time, China’s recent plans to build an intelligence outpost in Cuba has alarmed the United States, but other Latin American neighbors do not necessarily share this sentiment. What is the historical relationship between China and Cuba? What are China’s strategic interests and involvement in Cuba and Latin America, and should the United States view them as national security concerns?

In a conversation moderated by Margaret Myers on August 23, 2023, Adrian Hearn and Leland Lazarus discuss China’s growing influence in Cuba and its implications for the United States and Latin America.

About the speakers

Read the transcript

Follow Leland Lazarus on Twitter: @LelandLazarus

Follow Margaret Myers on Twitter: @MyersMargaret

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How can students impact the future of U.S.-China relations? Aug 18, 2023

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the population of foreigners and international students in China has decreased dramatically. How has the drop in international students impacted education in China? Jeremiah Jenne visits the United States from Beijing for the first time since before Beijing’s COVID lockdowns and discusses the importance of people-to-people exchange in 2023.

About the speaker

Follow Jeremiah Jenne on Twitter: @JeremiahJenne

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The Future of Biotechnology and U.S.-China Relations Aug 07, 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just for apps and algorithms. AI’s ability to sort through massive data sets has the potential to completely revolutionize the field of biotechnology, opening the door for real-world breakthroughs like climate change-resistant seeds or cures for genetic diseases. While scientists and firms from the United States and China are actively collaborating to explore this scientific frontier, increasing national security concerns put AI-biotech’s future development at risk. What is at risk when scientific exchange is limited?

Abigail Coplin, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Science, Technology and Society at Vassar College, joins the National Committee to discuss American and Chinese views on the importance of biotech, and the impact of national security on this emerging field.

About the speaker

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

The U.S.-China AI Race: Where do both countries stand? Jul 31, 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has the potential to revolutionize the way the world works and communicates. AI also plays an outsized role in technological competition between the United States and China, in what some call the “AI race.” What is China’s current stage in the AI race as compared to the United States, and what challenges and risks lie ahead in adopting AI technology?

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/US-China-AI-Race/

Transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/us-china-ai-race/

Follow Jeffrey Ding on Twitter: @jjding99

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Views From India and Singapore: Prime Minister Modi's U.S. Visit and Secretary of State Blinken's China Visit Jul 11, 2023

The world was watching U.S. diplomacy in June, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing, and President Joe Biden hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Secretary Blinken's visit signaled a thaw in high-level communication within the U.S.-China relationship, and Southeast Asian countries—which have close relations with both superpowers—have watched intently.

At the same time, while the United States and India expressed positive progress in their bilateral relationship, both avoided mentioning what brought them together in the first place: their respective complicated relationships with China. What do Blinken's China visit and Modi's U.S. visit reveal about international dynamics across Asia and the Pacific?

Dr. Kanti Bajpai, vice dean and professor of international relations at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore joins the National Committee to weigh in with a Southeast Asian perspective and to help us understand the view from both Singapore and New Delhi.

1:29 Southeast Asian reactions to Secretary Blinken’s visit to China and U.S.-China relations

5:08 What does Singapore hope for U.S.-China cooperation?

10:15 Does India see China as a partner, competitor, or strategic threat?

18:50 Is there a pro-U.S. and anti-U.S. paradox in Indian foreign policy?

21:49 Is concern about China driving the United States to strengthen its relationship with India?

25:15 Could there be an India-China rapprochement?

31:42 Could India pose a military threat to China?

37:45 How have Indian opinions towards the U.S. changed over time?

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/modi-visit-us-china-india/

A full transcript of this interview is available here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/us-china-india-triangle/

Follow Dr. Kanti Bajpai on Twitter: @BajpaiKanti

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Convergence and Divergence in the Indo-Pacific: A Closer Look at the Canada-China Relationship Jun 30, 2023

Canada’s role in the context of U.S.-China strategic competition is significant, given its historical relationships with both countries. While Canada normalized relations with China in 1970 and sought to strengthen the Canada-China relationship over the decades, its recent Indo-Pacific Strategy takes a much firmer stance than seen in the past, referring to China as a “disruptive power” that disregards international rules; nevertheless, Canada also recognizes that China will have to play an essential role in solving global challenges.

When it comes to relations with and approaches to China, where do American and Canadian strategic interests and priorities overlap? Where do the United States and Canada see things differently? What are the main factors driving these dynamics?

In an interview conducted June 22, 2023, Diana Fu, Gordon Houlden, and Pascale Massot discuss Canada-China relations and areas where the U.S. and Canadian Indo-Pacific Strategies converge and diverge.

About the speakers

0:00-5:51 U.S.-Canadian policy comparison

5:51-14:27 Canada's reaction to Beijing

14:27- 24:50 China-Canada cooperation

Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy: https://www.international.gc.ca/transparency-transparence/assets/pdfs/indo-pacific-indo-pacifique/indo-pacific-indo-pacifique-en.pdf

Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy: New initiatives and resources: https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2022/11/canadas-indo-pacific-strategy-new-initiatives-and-resources.html

Follow Diana Fu on Twitter: @dianafutweets

Follow Gordon Houlden on Twitter: @GordonHoulden

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Why is Secretary Blinken’s Trip to China so Important? Jun 16, 2023

From June 18-19, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit China for meetings with high level officials in a bid to stabilize U.S.-China relations and re-establish regular diplomatic communications. After a similar trip was postponed earlier in 2023 due to the unauthorized entry of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon into American airspace, all eyes will be on the U.S.-China diplomatic relationship.

Veteran diplomat Susan A. Thornton joins the National Committee to discuss why Secretary Blinken’s trip is so important at this moment and what a positive outcome of this meeting would look like for the United States, China, and the world.

About the speaker

Follow Susan Thornton on Twitter: @suea_thornton

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Commemorating AAPI Month at the National Committee Jun 09, 2023

May was Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a chance to celebrate the history, diversity, and contributions of the over 25 million members of the AAPI community in the United States. But rising U.S.-China tensions have also come with consequences for the community, particularly Chinese Americans, who have reported increased discrimination and feelings of exclusion in the last few years.

To commemorate AAPI Heritage Month, the Committee invited two professors who have deep experience with the Chinese American community —Qin Gao of Columbia University and Yingyi Ma at Syracuse University— to share their research and what AAPI Month means to them.

0:00-8:57 Discussing the "State of Chinese Americans" Survey with Professor Qin Gao

8:57-17:12 Professor Yingyi Ma on Chinese students studying in the United States

About Qin Gao

About Yingyi Ma

Anti-Racism Resources

Follow Qin Gao on Twitter: @gaoqin505

Follow Yingyi Ma on Twitter: @yingyi_ma

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Preserving a Legacy of Liberty and Peace in the Indo-Pacific | Admiral John C. Aquilino May 30, 2023

Admiral John C. Aquilino, 26th Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, was the keynote speaker at our Annual Members Program on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. His comments, conversation with National Committee President Stephen Orlins, and Q&A focused on Sino-American military policy in the context of the overall bilateral relationship.

0:00-3:57 Introduction

3:57-30:58 Admiral Aquilino’s remarks

30:58- 58:10 Aquilino discussion

58:10- Q&A

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/indopacom-aquilino/

Read the transcript: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/indopacom-aquilino/

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Americans Are Critical of China’s Global Role – Pew Research Center Study Shows May 12, 2023

According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March 2023, a large majority of American adults (83 percent) continue to have negative views of China, and the share who have very unfavorable views (44 percent) has increased by four percentage points since last year. Around four-in-ten Americans also now describe China as an enemy of the United States, rather than as a competitor or a partner – up 13 points since last year.

Americans are broadly concerned about China’s role in the world. For example, 62 percent of Americans see the China-Russia partnership as a very serious problem for the United States, up five points since October.

In an interview conducted on May 3, 2023, Laura Silver discusses the findings of the March 2023 survey.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/pew-research-center-study-china/

Pew Research Center survey: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2023/04/12/americans-are-critical-of-chinas-global-role-as-well-as-its-relationship-with-russia/#:~:text=Around%20four%2Din%2Dten%20Americans,2023%2C%20Pew%20Research%20Center%20survey.

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/pew-research-center-study-china/

Follow Laura Silver on Twitter: @lauraruthsilver

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

China’s Law of the Sea: The New Rules of Maritime Order May 08, 2023

Conflicts over specific rules lie at the heart of China’s maritime disputes, which are about much more than sovereignty over islands and rocks in the South and East China Seas. Rather, the main contests concern the strategic maritime space associated with those islands. To consolidate control over these vital areas, China’s leaders have begun to implement “China’s law of the sea”: building domestic legal institutions, bureaucratic organizations, and a naval and maritime law enforcement apparatus to establish China’s preferred maritime rules on the water and in the diplomatic arena. In China’s Law of the Sea, Isaac B. Kardon examines China’s laws and policies and analyzes other claimants’ reactions to China’s practices, because other states must acquiesce for China’s preferences to become international rules.

In an interview conducted on April 28, 2023, Isaac Kardon discusses with Bonnie Glaser China’s legal and policy efforts to defend, exploit, administer, and patrol disputed waters.

0:00-1:00 introductions

1:00-7:50 China’s maritime evolution

7:50-17:45 South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait

17:45-24:09 Southeast Asian maritime order

24:09- How should the world respond?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/chinas-law-of-the-seas/

Read the transcript here: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/chinas-law-of-the-seas/

Follow Bonnie Glaser on Twitter: @BonnieGlaser

Follow Isaac Kardon on Twitter: @IBKardon

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

How Can the U.S. and China Learn from Each Other’s Climate Policies? May 02, 2023

Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) is on a mission to clean up severe air and water pollution in China. Ma Jun, founding director of IPE, discusses the innovation of the Blue Map app and IPE’s efforts to speed up climate actions domestically and abroad.

In an interview conducted on April 10, 2023, IPE founder Ma Jun discusses the latest developments in IPE’s work.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/united-states-china-clean-energy/

Learn more about IPE and China’s climate mitigation here

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Speeding up Climate Mitigation around the World/The Clean Energy Transition in China Apr 25, 2023

Segment 1: China's nonprofit Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) was founded in 2006 to address severe air and water pollution in China and to help safeguard the global environment. It developed the Blue Map, China's first public environmental database and mobile app that tracks air, water, soil, and ocean quality data, as well as the performance of hundreds of thousands of major emitters. The information has been a potent aid for improving environmental governance across China. In 2020, IPE launched the Blue Map for Zero Carbon, and continues to use cooperation between companies, government, NGOs, research organizations and other stakeholders to achieve environmental transformation, promote environmental information disclosure and improve environmental governance mechanisms.

Segment 2: Energy Foundation China is a grantmaking charitable organization registered in California (formally separate from the U.S. Energy Foundation since 2019). It has been working in China since 1999, and is dedicated to China’s sustainable energy development. The Foundation’s vision is to achieve prosperity and a safe climate through sustainable energy. Its mission is to realize greenhouse gas emissions neutrality, world-class air quality, energy access, and green growth through transforming energy and optimizing economic structure. The Foundation works across seven fields: power, industry, transportation, cities, environmental management, low carbon economic growth, and strategic communications.

In an interview moderated by David Sandalow on April 10, 2023, Energy Foundation China President Zou Ji discusses the latest developments in the clean energy transition in China, the priorities of the Energy Foundation, and how the international community is doing in responding to climate change.

About the speakers: www.ncuscr.org/event/climate-action-ipe/ www.ncuscr.org/event/energy-foundation-china/

Read the podcast transcripts here: www.ncuscr.org/podcast/climate-action-ipe/ www.ncuscr.org/podcast/energy-foundation-china/

Follow David Sandalow on Twitter: @dsandalow

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Earth Day Special: Where do the U.S. and China stand on the climate crisis? Apr 21, 2023

Is China ahead of the United States in developing green technology? Amid the tensions of great power competition and climate change, what can the U.S. and China learn from each other when it comes to protecting the environment? In this special edition Earth Day podcast, we pulled the best content from our 2023 Earth Month interview series to answer the most urgent questions on the U.S.-China climate relationship with insights from American and Chinese experts.

Joining us for this episode are the following four experts on China and the climate crisis:

Angel Hsu, assistant professor of public policy and the environment at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Joanna Lewis, Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor of Energy and Environment and director of the Science, Technology and International Affairs Program at Georgetown University

Zou Ji, president of the Energy Foundation China

Ma Jun, founding director of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE)

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/podcast/earth-day-2023

Read the transcript for this podcast

Follow Angel Hsu on Twitter: @ecoangelhsu

Follow Joanna Lewis on Twitter: @JoannaILewis

Follow Ma Jun on Twitter: @MJ_GreenFinance

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Spy Balloons, Crisis Management, and Implications for U.S.-China Relations Apr 19, 2023

The unauthorized entry of a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon into American airspace has provided a unique opportunity to examine the ability of Washington and Beijing to handle diplomatic crises. The incident leaves us wondering how the United States can better understand Chinese bureaucratic structure and decision-making and thus more effectively modulate its responses to unforeseen events. How will the two countries deescalate tensions when something more serious than a rogue balloon agitates the relationship? As the ability to interpret signaling accurately and maintain de-escalatory communication between the United States and China become more critical, so too will understanding the answers to these questions.

In an interview conducted by Oriana Skylar Mastro on April 13, Tyler Jost and Susan Thornton help contextualize the spy balloon incident within China’s bureaucratic decision-making.

0-1:26 Introductions

1:26- 5:38 Why was the balloon a big deal?

5:38-9:54 The (lack of) airspace regulations

9:54-18:24 The U.S. reaction

18:24-24:04 U.S.-China Crisis communication

24:04-26:54 Lightning round

26:54- Who owes who an apology?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/spy-balloon-china/

Read the transcript for this podcast

Follow Susan Thornton on Twitter: @suea_thornton

Follow Tyler Jost on Twitter: @tcjost

Follow Oriana Skylar Mastro on Twitter: @osmastro

About the speakers Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Assignment China: An Oral History of American Correspondents in China Apr 04, 2023

Reporting on China is challenging and important. Assignment China tells the stories of some of the American journalists who have covered China from the time of the civil war of the 1940s through the COVID-19 pandemic. Former China correspondent Mike Chinoy assembles personal accounts from eminent journalists who share their stories of reporting on historic moments such as President Richard Nixon’s groundbreaking visit in 1972, China’s opening up to the outside world and its emergence as a global superpower, and the crackdowns in Tiananmen Square and Xinjiang. They describe the challenges of covering a complex society and offer insight into eight decades of tumultuous political, economic, and social change. In an interview conducted on March 22, 2023, Mike Chinoy and Lenora Chu discuss the people who have covered China for American media and how they have shaped American understanding of China.

0:00-3:30 background

3:30-10:11 truth vs. fiction

10:11-18:09 pre- and post- Mao era media relations

18:09-31:43 Journalism in the Deng era, Tiananmen Square

31:43- How have journalism and narratives changed?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/american-correspondents-in-china/

Read the transcript for this podcast

Follow Mike Chinoy on Twitter: @mikechinoy

Follow Lenora Chu on Twitter: @LenoraChu

About the speakers Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Seeking Truth from Fact: Key Indicators for China’s Economy in 2023 Mar 27, 2023

On March 5, 2023, China set a GDP growth target of around five percent for 2023, which is lower than expected. What are the major challenges and risks for China’s economic growth in 2023 and beyond? Where do the strengths in China’s economy lie? Both the promise of continued export and consumption growth and the threat of rising debt and property sector instability raise critical questions. How will tariffs, trade imbalances, and geopolitics affect China’s economic prospects?

In an interview conducted in partnership with Peking University’s National School of Development on March 14, 2023, Dr. Hu Yifan and Dr. Lu Feng provide their forecasts of China’s economy for the coming year.

0:00-2:10 introductions

2:10-10:10 Predictions for 2023

10:10-23:10 incentives, growth, and economic policy

23:10-31:53 China’s population demographics and economy

31:53-43:15 U.S.-China cooperation and trade

43:15-50:06 Bank failures, nervous markets

50:06- State of the RMB and USD

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/forecast-of-chinas-economy-for-2023/

Read the transcript for this podcast

About the speakers Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Two Sessions, Many Implications Mar 23, 2023

What are the implications of this year’s Two Sessions for President Xi Jinping and the latest roster of Party leaders, for those in the United States with a close eye on the U.S.-China relationship, and for the Chinese people? In an interview conducted on March 20, 2023, Dimitar Gueorguiev speaks with Rory Truex, and Ling Li about the 2023 Two Sessions in the context of China’s domestic and international policies.

The annual meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known as the “Two Sessions” or “Lianghui,” feature the gathering of political leaders in Beijing each spring to announce plans and goals for the coming year. In 2023, after a period of dramatic changes including China’s new approach to COVID-19, an economic downturn, and the war in Ukraine, the significance for the world of political events in China is clearer than ever.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/two-sessions-many-implications/

Read the transcript of this conversation

Follow Ling Li on Twitter: @lingli_vienna

Follow Rory Truex on Twitter: @rorytruex

Follow Dimitar Gueorguiev on Twitter: @DimitarGueorg1

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Improbable Diplomats: How Ping-Pong Players, Musicians, and Scientists Remade U.S.-China Relations Mar 17, 2023

Over the past few years, we have marked the 50th anniversaries of official visits to China by then National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon. Historians have scrutinized the records of their conversations with Chinese leaders, but less attention has been given to people-to-people exchange that began with “ping-pong diplomacy.” Based on archival sources in China and the United States and numerous interviews, Pete Millwood argues in Improbable Diplomats that the significance of cultural and scientific exchanges goes beyond reacquainting the Chinese and American people with each other after two decades of minimal contact; exchanges also influenced Sino-American diplomatic relations and helped transform post-Mao China.

In an interview conducted on March 9, 2023, Pete Millwood discusses with Alison Friedman how a diverse cast of Chinese and Americans – athletes and physicists, performing artists and seismologists – played a critical, but often overlooked, role in remaking U.S.-China relations.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/improbable-diplomats-us-china/

Read the transcript of this conversation

Follow Pete Millwood on Twitter: @PeteMillwood

Follow Alison Friedman on Twitter: @AlisonMFriedman

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Dictatorship and Information: Authoritarian Regime Resilience in Communist Europe and China Mar 13, 2023

In Dictatorship and Information, Martin K. Dimitrov offers an approach to understanding possible solutions to the dictator’s dilemma (the balance between authoritarian governments’ use of information communication technology for economic development and the need to control the democratizing influences of this technology), which arises from the difficulty of calibrating repression and concessions due to distorted information about elite and popular discontent. Dr. Dimitrov argues that communist regimes are adept at developing sophisticated systems that mobilize the party, state security, and internal journalism to assess levels of dissent. Drawing from evidence across multiple communist regimes and numerous interviews, Professor Dimitrov contributes to our understanding of how autocrats learn – or don’t learn – about the societies they rule, and how they maintain or lose their hold on power.

In an interview conducted on March 7, 2023, Martin Dimitrov discusses information-gathering of communist regimes and how it extends authoritarian governments’ tenure with Kellee Tsai.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/dictatorship-information-china/

Read the transcript of this conversation

Follow Kellee Tsai on Twitter: @HongKongKellee

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

BONUS: How Concerned Should Americans Be About Chinese Espionage? Mar 10, 2023

Ever since a balloon flew from China over the United States in February, concerns about surveillance have been at the forefront of U.S.-China relations. But the two countries have a long history of spying on each other. In this short explainer, John Delury contextualizes the current tensions and assesses just how worried Americans should be about Chinese espionage.

If you missed it, listen to our interview from January with John Delury, Gina Tam, and Jerome Cohen on John's new book, Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA's Covert War in China.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/video/chinese-espionage/

Read the transcript of this conversation

Follow John Delury on Twitter: @JohnDelury

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

The Dragon Roars Back: Transformational Leaders and Dynamics of Chinese Foreign Policy Mar 06, 2023

With Chinese President Xi Jinping’s political authority unmatched, his sense of mission to restore what he believes is China’s natural position as a great power drives the nation’s foreign policy. When China was weak, it was subordinated to others. Now China is strong, and wants others to fall in line, at least on the issues involving what it regards as core national interests.

In The Dragon Roars Back, Suisheng Zhao weaves together complex events, processes, and players in an analysis of Chinese foreign policy transitions since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Xi Jinping were and are transformational leaders who have charted unique courses of Chinese foreign policy in the quest for security, prosperity, and power.

In an interview conducted on February 15, 2023, Suisheng Zhao discusses the key leaders who have shaped Chinese foreign policy with Sheena Chestnut Greitens.

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/dragon-roars-back-chinese-foreign-policy/

Read the transcript to this conversation

Follow Suisheng Zhao on Twitter: @SuishengZhao

Follow Sheen Greitens on Twitter: @SheenaGreitens

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Digital Financial Revolution: Blockchain in the PRC Mar 01, 2023

Since its advent in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, blockchain technology has taken the economic world by storm. Open-source blockchain transactions have increased the speed of, and trust in, cross-border financial transactions. Many in the United States see the technology as a new and improved medium to raise and exchange capital. In China, the technology, though much more tightly regulated, has likewise begun to proliferate and has even been identified as one of China’s seven “frontier technologies” in its 14th Five Year Plan (2021-2025). Blockchain has the potential to transform industries in both countries and globally. This pioneering system is at the forefront of U.S.-China technological competition, and both nations have the potential to use the technology to remake the global financial system.

In an interview conducted on February 9, 2023, Paul Triolo examines recent developments in China’s blockchain evolution, focusing on its role in the U.S.-China relationship.

0:00-4:08 Introduction, What is blockchain? 4:08-15:11China’s innovation and regulation 15:11-20:09 Can we regulate cryptocurrency? 20:09-26:18 U.S.-China blockchain regulation 26:18- the metaverse

About the speakers: www.ncuscr.org/event/blockchain-china-prc/

Read the transcript to this conversation

Follow Paul Triolo on Twitter: @pstAsiatech

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Eyes on Ukraine Part III: The One-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion Feb 22, 2023

In the year since Russia invaded Ukraine, U.S.-China relations have continued to deteriorate; one factor is Beijing’s continued support of Moscow’s position and rhetoric. What does Beijing gain from its tacit backing of Russia? How successful have the U.S.-led sanctions been at stemming Russia’s war effort? As China reopens its economy and looks to rebuild its international business and diplomatic relationships after three years of Covid lockdowns, how does its relationship with Russia affect China’s strategic, economic, and diplomatic goals?

Yun Sun discusses the dynamics among China, Russia, and the United States in an interview conducted on February 17, 2023.

0:00-0:45 introductions

0:45-10:07 What is China’s impact on the war? China-Russia trade and relations

10:07-13:28 Ukraine-Taiwan parallels

13:28-20:34 China in the middle

20:34- 23:42 The impact on U.S.-China relations

23:42- The future of China-Russia relations

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/eyes-on-ukraine-part-iii/

Read the transcript to this conversation

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Guide to China’s Climate Policy 2022 Feb 10, 2023

Summer 2022 was hot! On June 25, the temperature in Hebei province reached 111.6°, breaking an all-time record. A few weeks later, the temperature in Shanghai hit 105.6°, the highest ever recorded there. On July 19, weather stations in the United Kingdom recorded temperatures above 104° for the first time in history; in the United States, at least 43 locations broke or tied their records for the hottest July ever. The temperature in western Iran reached 128.5° on August 9, the highest August temperature ever recorded in Asia. Increasingly severe and frequent storms, droughts, and floods lie ahead, and seas are rising. As the world’s leading emitter of heat-trapping gases by a wide margin, there is no solution to climate change without China.

In an interview conducted on February 3, 2023, Guide to China’s Climate Policy 2022 co-authors David Sandalow and Edmund Downie discuss China’s role in facing the global challenge presented by climate change with Angel Hsu.

0:00-1:14 Introductions

1:14-9:38 China’s climate background and efforts

9:38-20:24 China’s climate market

20:24-24:48 What will it take to lower coal consumption?

24:48- U.S.-China climate cooperation

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/guide-to-chinas-climate-policy-2022/

Read the transcript to this conversation

Follow David Sandalow on Twitter: @dsandalow

Follow Edmund Downie on Twitter: @ned_downie

Follow Angel Hsu on Twitter: @ecoangelhsu

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA’s Covert War in China Feb 01, 2023

Agents of Subversion reconstructs the story of a botched mission into Manchuria, placing it in the context of a wider CIA campaign against China. In the winter of 1952, the CIA flew a covert mission into China to pick up an agent. One of the Americans on the mission, a recent Yale graduate named John T. Downey, ended up a prisoner in China for the next twenty years. The U.S. government kept the public in the dark about decades of covert activity directed against China while Downey languished in a Beijing prison and his mother lobbied desperately for his release. John Delury sheds new light on Mao’s campaigns to eliminate counterrevolutionaries and on his use of captive spies in diplomacy with the West.

In an interview conducted on January 25, 2023, John Delury and Jerome Cohen discuss Downey’s story and its implication for today with Gina Tam.

0:00-2:11 introductions

2:11-11:03 Who was John Downey?

11:03-15:44 Cold War framework

15:44-23:16 What did it have to take for Downey’s release?

23:16-29:10 CIA activity in China

29:10- U.S.-China cooperation

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/agents-of-subversion-john-t-downey/

Read the transcript to this conversation

Follow John Delury on Twitter: @JohnDelury

Follow Jerome Cohen on Twitter: @jeromeacohen

Follow Gina Tam on Twitter: @DGTam86

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

War and Peace in the Taiwan Strait Jan 18, 2023

As tensions continue to rise between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, analysts and officials warn of a growing risk of military conflict, which could potentially draw in the United States. How worried should we be about a war in the Taiwan Strait?

Scott L. Kastner sheds new light on the prospects for cross-strait military conflict in his new book, War and Peace in the Taiwan Strait. He examines several key regional trends that have complex implications for stability, including deepening economic integration, the shifting balance of military power, uncertainty about the future of U.S. commitment, and domestic political changes in both the PRC and Taiwan. While the risks of conflict are real, they should not be exaggerated.

In an interview conducted by Jessica Chen Weiss on January 11, 2023, Scott Kastner argues that several distinct pathways could lead to the breakout of hostilities, yet war is not inevitable.

0:00-2:05 Introductions

2:05-7:45 Background on Taiwan

7:45-14:42 How can we avoid conflict while navigating U.S.-China relations?

14:42-20:08 The possibility of unification

20:08-25:00 What are Beijing’s challenges?

25:00-28:54 What is the future of Taiwan?

28:54-Avoiding tragedy

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/war-and-peace-taiwan-strait/

Find the transcript to this conversation here

Follow Jessica Chen Wiess on Twitter: @jessicacweiss

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Material Contradictions in Mao’s China Jan 03, 2023

The growth of markets and consumerism in China’s post-Mao era of political and economic reform is familiar. The Mao period (1949–1976), by contrast, a time of scarcity, appears to have had little material culture. In reality, people attributed great meaning to materials and objects, often precisely because they were rare, expensive, and difficult to obtain. Material Contradictions in Mao’s China, essays on art, cinema, culture, performance, and more, explores the paradox of material culture under Chinese Communist Party rule and illustrates how central material culture was to social and economic construction of the country and to projections of a socialist utopia within reach of every person, if only they worked hard enough.

In an interview conducted on December 9, 2022, Material Contradictions co-editors Jennifer Altehenger and Denise Ho, in conversation with Philip Tinari, discuss the significance of physical objects during the Mao period.

0:00-2:22 Introductions

2:22-8:27 Material Contradictions Under Mao

8:27- 17:28 Objects, scarcity, and abundance

17:28-25:45 The political and the commodity

25:45- Agency in consumerism

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/material-culture-maos-china/

Follow Philip Tinati on Twitter: @philiptinari

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Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives Dec 21, 2022

Stephen Roach’s new book, Accidental Conflict: America, China, and the Clash of False Narratives, examines the ominous trajectory of conflict escalation between the United States and China and offers suggestions for resolution. In just four years, two countries have entered a trade war, a tech war, and perhaps a new Cold War. This conflict between the world’s two most powerful nations would not have happened but for an unnecessary clash of false narratives. The United States falsely blames its trade and technology threats on China yet overlooks its shaky saving foundation. China falsely blames its growth challenges on America’s alleged containment of market-based socialism, ignoring its failed economic rebalancing.

In an interview conducted on December 19, 2022, Stephen Roach argues that much of the rhetoric on both sides is dangerously misguided, more a reflection of each nation’s fears and vulnerabilities than a reasonable assessment of the risks they face.

0:00-3:35 U.S.-China uncomfortable codependency

3:35-10:23 False narratives of technology and IP theft

10:23-17:36 Bipartisan rhetoric and economics

17:36-23:48 the trajectory of U.S.-China trade

23:48-26:15 Does China need the U.S.?

26:15-30:35 Economic competition

30:35-Conflict resolutions

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/us-china-false-narratives/

Follow Stephen Roach on Twitter: @SRoach_econ

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CHINA Town Hall: Jon M. Huntsman Jr. Nov 21, 2022

Former Ambassador to China, Russia, and Singapore Jon M. Huntsman Jr. was the featured speaker for CHINA Town Hall 2022, a national conversation on how the U.S.-China relationship affects our communities. From supply chains to national security, new technologies to climate change, the future of both countries will be determined by their relations with one another and the global community.

The National Committee held a nationwide virtual conversation on Wednesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. EST, including Q&A, with a leading authority on foreign policy. As one of few Americans to personally know Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, Ambassador Huntsman discussed the ways America can cooperate and compete with China, as both countries confront the most critical issues of the 21st century.

About the speaker: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/cth-2022-jon-huntsman/

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Climate (in)Action Amidst U.S.- China Tensions Nov 09, 2022

For much of 2022, the entire planet has been struggling to cope with extreme weather events, ranging from brutal heatwaves and severe droughts in some regions to record rainfall and catastrophic flooding in others.

Despite this, in early August, Beijing suspended ongoing U.S.-China talks on climate change in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. While some climate experts have argued that what matters most in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is for the United States and China to take action domestically, the suspension of talks represents a shift in the effort to shield the climate agenda from geopolitics and has implications for the ability of each country, and the world, to meet essential reduction targets.

In conversation with Alex Wang on November 1, 2022, Michael Davidson and Joanna Lewis discuss the significance of the downturn in U.S.-China relations on multilateral climate action.

2:22 How will U.S.-China tensions affect COP27?

6:24 How important is U.S.-China cooperation to global climate action?

9:18 Can the U.S. and China cooperate after COP27?

15:00 Will U.S.-China competition benefit or harm climate action efforts?

25:30 How can the U.S. support domestic climate action initiatives?

30:38 Why is energy security so important?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/us-china-climate-action/

Follow Michael Davidson on Twitter: @east_winds

Follow Joanna Lewis on Twitter: @JoannaILewis

Follow Alex Wang on Twitter: @greenlawchina

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).

Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty Oct 25, 2022

In Trafficking Data, Aynne Kokas examines how technology firms in the two largest economies in the world, the United States and China, exploit government policy (and the lack thereof) to gather information on citizens, putting American national security at risk. She argues that U.S. government leadership failures, Silicon Valley’s disruption preoccupation, and Wall Street’s addiction to growth have fueled China’s technological gold rush. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in the two countries and numerous corporate and policy documents, Trafficking Data explains how China is fast becoming the global leader in internet governance and policy, and thus of the data that defines our public and private lives.

In an interview conducted on October 11, 2022, Aynne Kokas, in conversation with Silvia Lindtner, argues that American complacency provides Chinese firms the opportunity to gather data in the United States and send it back to China, and by extension, to the Chinese government.

0:00 Introductions

2:04 China’s technological advances and geopolitical power

9:08 United States and China as digitized nations

16:38 Population biometric data and Zero-COVID

20:38 Can data science map Chinese society during the COVID-19 pandemic?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/trafficking-data-china/

Follow Aynne Kokas on Twitter: @AynneKokas

Follow Silvia Lindtner on Twitter: @yunnia

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Texture on Taiwan: Deciphering Asia's Most Complex Hotspot | Jessica Drun, Lev Nachman, Sara Newland Oct 20, 2022

In the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s high profile visit to Taiwan in August, public focus on the island has reached a crescendo as Chinese military maneuvers and government rhetoric continue to escalate. How has Taiwan dealt with the increased volatility? How has the war in Ukraine affected China’s decision-making going forward? Are Taiwan’s global economic ties and critical role in technology supply chains strong enough to help deter a wider conflict? Most importantly, what does it all mean for ordinary Taiwanese?

In a conversation moderated by Sara Newland on October 12, 2022, leading Taiwan experts Jessica Drun and Lev Nachman explore Taiwan’s complex dynamics and implications for the United States and the U.S.-China relationship.

2:07 How did Taiwanese respond to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit?

9:53 Is the war in Ukraine shifting behavior in Taiwan?

14:08 What's happening with the Taiwanese elections in 2022 and 2024?

18:23 What is the future of the KMT?

22:21 How has Taiwan capitalized on recent soft power wins?

26:38 What should people know about Taiwan?

About the speakers: https://www.ncuscr.org/event/taiwan-complex-hotspot/

Follow Jessica Drun on Twitter: @jessicadrun

Follow Lev Nachman on Twitter: @lnachman32

Follow Sara Newland on Twitter: @NewlandSara

Subscribe to the National Committee on YouTube for video of this interview. Follow us on Twitter (@ncuscr) and Instagram (@ncuscr).