David Dollar discusses where the Biden administration stands regarding competition, confrontation, and cooperation with China. He writes that "what we have learned from the first 100 days is that we are likely to have both a confrontational and competitive relationship with China, similar to Trump's policy but with some important nuances."
To foreign audiences, China emphasizes free markets, openness, and collaboration, when talking about telecommunications; to domestic audiences, it says the opposite. In this paper, Rush Doshi, Emily de La Bruyère, Nathan Picarsic, and John Ferguson analyze the findings from Chinese texts.
Ryan Hass, Richard Bush, and Bonnie Glaser weigh in on the need to temper U.S. policy regarding Taiwan by going beyond a focus on military threats from Beijing. They take into account China's perspective of cross-strait relations and offer suggestions for how U.S. policymakers can support Taiwan in a more economic and diplomatic capacity.
Cheng Li's "Middle Class Shanghai" argues that U.S. policymakers must not lose sight of the expansive dynamism and diversity in present-day China. The book illustrates that China's cosmopolitan middle class could be a force for reshaping U.S.-China engagement.
Taiwan was the first Chinese society to make the transition to democracy. Now, the nation faces a variety of new challenges. In "Difficult Choices," Richard Bush examines the policy decisions ahead and offers suggestions for both Taiwan and the United States.
It's time for a new policy on Confucius Institutes. There is a clear need for cultivating Mandarin speakers and China expertise across multiple disciplines, but tight funding and declining interest in Chinese language and culture programs present significant obstacles. Jamie Horsley writes that the modest financial contribution and native Mandarin language professionals provided through an appropriately managed Confucius Institute network should be welcomed, not castigated.
The role of the Quad. Among myriad other factors, the future of the Quad grouping might well be determined by China's behavior and the group's own ability to provide public goods and mobilizing synergies on global issues, Susan A. Thornton contends.
Globalization of research and development. On the Dollar & Sense podcast,David Dollar is joined by Britta Glennon, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, for a conversation about the growth of overseas research and development. Glennon and Dollar also discuss the national security implications of this trend and what it signals about the likelihood of any decoupling between the United States and China.
Recent webinar
U.S.-China educational exchanges. On April 12, the John L. Thornton China Center provided a venue for U.S. policymakers and education administrators to offer perspectives on the current state of U.S.-China educational exchanges and the future direction of such programs.
Southeast Asian great power dynamics. The Diplomat interviewed Jonathan Stromsethabout what Southeast Asian nations want from the United States, the influence and role of China's presence in Southeast Asia, and how the Biden administration should best engage the region.
Biden's relationship with China. CNN spoke with Diana Fu on China's growing geopolitical influence. "Biden now faces a China that not only has real economic and political clout on the world stage, but also one that is competing with the U.S. to win the hearts and minds of global citizens," Fu stated.
Framing the U.S.-China Alaska meeting. Jeffrey A. Bader explained to the Wall Street Journal how the United States went overboard in expanding sanctions against two dozen Chinese officials the day before the two sides met in Anchorage, stating: "The more you assert you're not a declining power, the less convincing you are."
About the China Center
The John L. Thornton China Centerdevelops timely, independent analysis and policy recommendations to help U.S. and Chinese leaders address key long-term challenges, both in terms of U.S.-China relations and China's internal development.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution's response, read our full guidance here.
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