Episodes
Cheng Li’s Middle Class Shanghai argues that American policymakers should pay attention to the dynamism and diversity in contemporary China. Its developing class structure and cosmopolitan culture, exemplified and led by Shanghai, could reshape U.S.-China engagement. Both countries should build on the deep cultural and educational exchanges that have bound them together for more than forty years. On June 17, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual program with Cheng Li as he discussed...
Published 06/24/21
Small and medium-sized enterprises have provided crucial ballast to the U.S.-China bilateral relationship for decades. While the Biden administration’s “foreign policy for the middle class” is a departure in tone from President Trump’s “America First” rhetoric, we have not yet seen substantive changes in China trade policy. With tariffs remaining in place and the path forward for SMEs uncertain, what does the future hold? On June 10, 2021, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, in...
Published 06/18/21
On May 21, 2021, the National Commitee hosted a virtual program with Mary Gallagher, Margaret Lewis, and Rory Truex, in conversation with Jacques deLisle, as they discussed these issues and what lies ahead in Sino-American academic relations. This program was held in partnership with the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations, sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China.
Published 05/28/21
On May 19, 2021 the National Committee held a virtual program with report author Thilo Hanemann (Rhodium Group), Anna Ashton (US-China Business Council), and Timothy Stratford (Covington & Burling LLP Beijing) for the annual Two-Way Street report launch and discussion of the latest two-way investment data and analysis.
Published 05/27/21
In recent years, smart city technology has become increasingly present in our lives. New developments in 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things allow municipalities to collect and share data, improving management and services, while raising questions about privacy and security.   On May 10, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual program with Ms. Zhengzhen Tan and Ms. Sarah Tatsis, as they discussed smart cities and areas for potential cooperation in a conversation moderated by urban...
Published 05/18/21
According to a recent report published by the Council on Foreign Relations, "China’s Belt and Road: Implications for the United States," the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy undertaking and the world’s largest infrastructure program, poses a significant challenge to U.S. economic, political, climate change, security, and global health interests. The United States has a clear interest in adopting a strategy that both pressures China to alter its...
Published 05/12/21
On April 30, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual program with Robert Blackwill (Council on Foreign Relations) and Philip Zelikow (University of Virginia), moderated by leading Taiwan authority Shelley Rigger (Davidson College), to discuss U.S. policy options for a productive relationship with Taiwan.
Published 05/07/21
On April 28, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual celebration of the 50th anniversary of ping pong diplomacy. Ms. Jan Berris, vice president of the National Committee who accompanied the Chinese ping pong delegation on its travels; Ms. Judy Hoarfrost, a former United States table tennis champion who visited China with the U.S. team; and Dr. Doug Spelman, a retired foreign service officer and academic who served as an interpreter for the Chinese team discussed ping pong diplomacy –...
Published 05/06/21
On April 22, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual program with Angel Hsu, Jonas Nahm, and Alex Wang to discuss the future of U.S.-China climate cooperation in a conversation moderated by China energy expert Joanna Lewis. The program was held in partnership with the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations, which is sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China.
Published 04/29/21
In his new book, "Stronger: Adapting America’s China Strategy in an Era of Competitive Interdependence," Ryan Hass examines the relative advantages of the United States as he considers U.S.-China relations. On April 19, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual program with Ryan Hass of the Brookings Institution, in which he provided an analysis of how the United States might productively approach its relationship with China.  
Published 04/26/21
While violence toward Asian Americans has always existed in the United States, the community has faced racist violence and hate crimes at a much higher rate over the last year. Between March 2020 and February 2021, Stop AAPI Hate reported 3,795 hate incidents nationwide. Experts argue this phenomenon has been fueled by Sinophobia, anti-China foreign policy, and xenophobic political rhetoric unleashed during the Covid-19 pandemic. On April 12, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual...
Published 04/20/21
In recent years, autonomous vehicles (AV) have moved from the world of science fiction to reality. While fully self-driving cars may be a decade or two away, robotaxis and driverless buses are already here. The advent of AVs offers enormous opportunities, but will also bring great disruption to the overall transportation market. China and the United States are both moving rapidly to take advantage of these exciting changes. What are the major innovations we will see over the next ten years?...
Published 03/30/21
Leland Miller of China Beige Book discussed the current state of China's economy, based on fresh data from the world's largest private in-country data collection network tracking the Chinese marketplace. The data are gathered from thousands of firms throughout China across various sectors and industries. What does the state of the Chinese economy suggest for effective U.S. policy? What should the United States be looking at as it considers China’s growth, labor, inflation, credit, and...
Published 03/29/21
On March 9, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual program with Mr. Winston Ma, where he explored how China’s innovation ecosystem drives next generation unicorns and its young netizens participate in the evolving digital economy, and what emerging markets can learn from China as they dive headlong into the mobile-first economy. Winston Ma, most recently managing director and head of the North America office of China Investment Corporation (CIC), is the author of, The Digital War: How...
Published 03/18/21
The National Committee held a virtual program on February 24, 2021 with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown and Mr. Ben Westhoff, moderated by Ms. Emily Feng, who discussed the current status of the opioid epidemic, bilateral efforts to curb the supply of fentanyl in the United States, and the prospects for progress moving forward.
Published 03/05/21
In a belated celebration of his 90th birthday and his extraordinary contributions to the development of law in China and U.S.-China relations, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations hosted a virtual discussion with America’s leading expert on Chinese law, Jerome A. Cohen, on February 16, 2021. Professor Cohen conversed with his former student, Steve Orlins, who is now president of the National Committee, about his experiences over the last sixty years of studying Chinese law,...
Published 02/24/21
The National Committee held a virtual program on February 10, 2021 with Dr. Graham Allison, Dr. Thomas Gold, Ms. Melinda Liu, and Dr. Michael Szonyi to celebrate and remember teacher/mentor/public servant/friend Professor Ezra Vogel.
Published 02/23/21
The National Committee, in partnership with Peking University’s National School of Development (NSD), held a virtual program on February 2, 2021 with Dr. Hu Yifan, Dr. Huang Yiping, and Dr. Yao Yang to forecast China’s economy in the coming year. The panel was moderated by NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins. Topics included: China’s growth trajectory in 2021 and beyond, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Chinese and global markets, progress and challenges in structural reform, expected...
Published 02/05/21
The National Committee held a virtual event on January 26, 2021 where Rhodium Group’s Daniel Rosen and Adam Lysenko rolled out the latest addition to the Two-Way Street report series to increase the transparency of this portfolio investment discussion. In a conversation moderated by National Committee President Stephen Orlins, Rosen and Lysenko were joined by KPMG Chief Economist Constance Hunter and BlackRock Senior Managing Director Mark Wiedman to discuss the report's implications.
Published 01/29/21
Environmental degradation in China has not only brought about a wider range of diseases and other health consequences than previously understood, but has also taken a heavy toll on China’s society, economy, and the legitimacy of the party-state. In Toxic Politics: China’s Environmental Health Crisis and Its Challenge to the Chinese State, Yanzhong Huang presents evidence of China's deepening health crisis and challenges the widespread view that China is winning its war on pollution. Although...
Published 01/19/21
China’s President Xi Jinping is committed to two primary military ambitions: he wants China to become a great maritime power by 2035 and a world-class armed force by 2050. In China as a Twenty First Century Naval Power, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt focuses on China's navy and its recent and continuing transformation into a formidable force. Mr. McDevitt begins the book by exploring the strategic rationale behind President Xi's objectives. He then examines the PLA Navy's...
Published 01/04/21
In mid-November 2020, China’s National People’s Congress passed a resolution allowing Hong Kong authorities to expel legislators deemed a threat to national security or failing to pledge allegiance to Hong Kong without having to go through the judicial system. Shortly thereafter, the Hong Kong government disqualified four pro-democracy legislators. Reaction within and outside of Hong Kong was swift: fellow pan-democrat Legislative Council (LegCo) members resigned in protest; the U.S. national...
Published 12/23/20
In China’s Fintech Explosion, Sara Hsu and Jianjun Li explore the transformative potential of China’s fintech industry, describing the risks and rewards for participants as well as the impact on consumers. They cover many subsectors of the industry: digital payment systems, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding, credit card issuance, internet banks, blockchain finance and virtual currencies, and online insurance. Offering analysis of market potential, risks, and competition, the authors...
Published 12/17/20
National politics have grabbed the headlines over the last few months; less publicized are the challenges taking place at the local levels. Nine former Governors gathered this fall to discuss the toll a deteriorating U.S.-China relationship has had on their states.    On December 7, 2020, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the U.S. Heartland China Association (USHCA) invited former governor and current chairman and CEO of USHCA Bob Holden (Missouri, D, 2001-2005), along with...
Published 12/16/20
On December 7, 2020, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the U.S. Heartland China Association (USHCA) invited former governor and current chairman and CEO of USHCA Bob Holden (Missouri, D, 2001-2005), along with former governors Jon Huntsman, Jr. (Utah, R, 2005-2011), Gary Locke (Washington, D, 1997-2005), and Rick Snyder (Michigan, R, 2011-2019) to discuss the consequences of bilateral tensions in each of their respective states and how revitalizing subnational relationships...
Published 12/14/20