Prospects for U.S.-China Strategic Relations

With a second term beginning for the Bush administration comes the opportunity for a reevaluation of the major issues that have existed in recent US-China relations. Both the American trade deficit with China and North Korea's nuclear weapons program were significant issues in the 2004 presidential campaign. While many still insist that US-China relations have never been better, question marks still remain: In light of the continuing War on Terror, how “tough” will Washington be on issues such as trade, Taiwan and a nuclear North Korea? How will Beijing continue to balance Chinese nationalism with the need for stability in Taiwan? The panelists will begin by reviewing the foundations of these issues and then offer their interpretations of the direction in which US-China relations are headed.

Huang Jing (moderator), Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution

Michael Armacost, Shorenstein Distinguished Fellow, Stanford University

Chris Twomey, Assistant Professor, Department of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School