National Committee On United States-china Relations

Both the United States and China are seeing a rapid rebound from the economic damage brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank’s recent report forecasts GDP growth of 8.5 percent in 2021 for China, leading the world’s economic recovery. Does this bullish outlook accurately reflect the reality of China’s economic development in the second half of 2021 and beyond? What are potential obstacles Beijing could face from challenging issues such as weak domestic consumption, trade imbalances, and income inequality? On July 15, 2021, the National Committee, in partnership with Peking University’s National School of Development (NSD), held a virtual program with Dr. Liang Hong and Dr. Xu Gao to forecast China’s economy for the second half of 2021 and beyond.

On July 8, 2021, The Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), with assistance from the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, organized a multi-part event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Henry Kissinger’s secret trip to China. The event took place at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guest House and featured live remarks by Dr. Kissinger and Vice President Wang Qishan. This video is an abridged version of the commemorative event, and includes the following components: Keynote | Dr. Kissinger and Vice President Wang Qishan reflect on the significance of the July 1971 visit Panel 1 | Eye Witnesses to History: Participants from the 1971 Kissinger secret trip and 1972 Nixon visit discuss the visit itself and its historical importance - Chinese Panelists: Ambassador Lian Zhengbao and Ms. Nancy Tang - American Panelists: Ambassadors Winston Lord and Chas Freeman - Moderator: Ms. Jan Berris

Approximately 20 to 33 percent of global trade passes through the South China Sea, and many of its land features are in dispute. In the last decade, tensions have escalated as China has grown increasingly assertive. Many in the international community perceive China to be violating international norms after it passed legislation this year allowing the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels. What policies will the Biden administration adopt toward the region? Will tensions escalate? If so, what would be the impact on the economics and security of the region? What innovative policies could ease tensions and promote cooperation instead of confrontation? On June 29, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual program with Prof. Richard J. Heydarian, Dr. Isaac B. Kardon, and Dr. Yan Yan, as they discussed recent developments in the South China Sea and areas for cooperation.

The July 2021 centennial of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will be an important milestone in China, accompanied by media fanfare and celebration. As the Party promotes the story of its successes and accomplishments to its people and the world, what does it choose to minimize or ignore? Through the lenses of museums, traditional and new media, and political education in schools, we examined how China projects its image in a rapidly shifting global landscape. On June 24, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual discussion with Denise Ho, Karrie Koesel, and Maria Repnikova as they explored how the Chinese Communist Party shapes and projects its identity to its own people and beyond.

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 China’s middle class and the constructive impact of exchanges between China and the United States.

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 partnership with the World Trade Centers Association hosted a webinar with Amy Celico of Albright Stonebridge, and Gary Biehn, Ron Bracalente, and Linda Mysliwy Conlin of the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, as they discussed the prospects for U.S.-China economic and trade relations.

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.

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.

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 planning expert Dr. Weiping Wu.

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 BRI practices and provides an effective alternative. On May 4, 2021, the National Committee hosted a virtual program with report co-chairs Jacob Lew and Gary Roughead and co-authors Jennifer Hillman and David Sacks, as they discussed recommendations for an effective United States response to BRI.

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.

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 – how it came to be, its historical and political context, and its significance then and now. The conversation was moderated by Mr. Alex DeAngelis, a staff member at the Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People’s Republic of China for much of the 1970s, who then moved to the National Science Foundation, based in Washington and Beijing.

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.

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.  

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 two-part program in which Jessica J. Lee and Ian Shin discussed the impact of anti-China political rhetoric on the current domestic U.S. climate, and Congresswoman Judy Chu addressed anti-Asian racism through legislative change. Learn more about anti-Asian racism in the United States, and what you can do to help: https://www.ncuscr.org/anti-racism

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? How can U.S. and Chinese corporations collaborate in this growing market? And how can our two governments, at the local and national levels, handle the challenges AVs present? On March 22, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual program with Mr. John Wall, Mr. Michael Yuan, and Ms. Karlyn Stanley to discuss the state of autonomous vehicle development and regulation in the United States and China.

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 banking, among other factors? How should economic policy fit into the larger bilateral relationship? Where is the Biden administration likely to take policy next? The National Committee held an event on March 25, 2021 with Mr. Leland Miller, where he explored the latest developments in China’s economy and their impact on the Sino-American relationship and Biden administration policy.

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 China’s Tech Power Shapes the Future of AI, Blockchain, and Cyberspace.

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.

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, government, and society. Topics included living in China, prospects for the future of law in China, and directions in Sino-American relations.