John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution

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Recent News About John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution

  • Discussion explores impact of US-China relations on American cities

    U.S. metropolitan areas have developed various economic, social, and official connections with China over recent decades.


  • Brookings Institution event explores US-China relations amid strategic competition

    As a new presidential administration and Congress prepare to take office in Washington this January, the focus on China is expected to remain significant for policymakers.


  • Taiwan strengthens defense strategy with whole-of-society resilience initiative

    Taiwan is advancing its defense strategy with the establishment of a Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, announced by President Lai Ching-te in June.


  • Panel to discuss China's economic challenges amid global uncertainties

    The Chinese economy is encountering various challenges, including slowing growth, a struggling property sector, sluggish consumer spending, significant debt in corporate and local government sectors, an aging population, and trade tensions with...


  • Trump signals potential shift in US-Taiwan policy amid growing China tensions

    President-elect Donald Trump, having secured victory in the 2024 election, has signaled a potential shift in U.S. policy towards Taiwan.


  • Taiwan navigates tensions with resilience amid China's pressures

    Tensions in the Taiwan Strait often focus on Taiwan as a target of the People's Republic of China (PRC).


  • FOCAC Summit highlights evolving China-Africa partnership amid financial commitments

    The 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been marked as a significant diplomatic event for China this year.


  • Asia weighs US election impact amid regional challenges

    During the 1992 U.S. presidential campaign, James Carville, a strategist for Bill Clinton, famously stated that the election would hinge on economic issues.


  • U.S.-China relations face challenges amid ongoing climate change efforts

    Climate change remains a central focus of U.S. policy in its engagement with China. Over the past decade, bilateral discussions have yielded significant diplomatic achievements, such as securing the 2015 Paris Agreement and increasing global efforts to address climate change. However, recent tensions between the two nations have affected progress in this area, introducing new challenges and reinforcing existing ones.


  • China's evolving use of economic measures in global geopolitics

    China's use of economic measures as a tool in geopolitical competition with the United States has drawn increasing attention. These practices, often unilateral and import-oriented, are perceived by some as domestic regulatory moves. However, international scrutiny suggests a more complex picture beyond China's assertive diplomacy narrative.


  • Jonathan Czin joins Brookings Institution as chair after notable government service

    Jonathan Czin, a former CIA China expert, has taken on the role of the Michael H. Armacost Chair in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution as of September 30, 2024. Czin's career includes significant positions such as a member of the Senior Analytic Service at the CIA and director for China at the White House National Security Council from 2021 to 2023. He also served as an advisor for Asia-Pacific Security Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and overseas at a CIA field station in Southeast Asia.


  • U.S. and China strategies in Latin America focus of upcoming Brookings event

    As the United States and China engage in strategic competition, their approaches to the Western Hemisphere will have lasting consequences. The nature of their interests in Latin America and where these interests are complementary or competitive remain significant questions. Additionally, how countries in the region exercise agency to maximize their interests is a crucial consideration.


  • Complexities in US-Taiwan security partnership amid China's growing influence

    The United States' security partnership with Taiwan is notable due to the unique nature of their relationship. While Washington does not recognize the Republic of China (ROC) government in Taipei as the official government of China, it recognizes the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing. Despite this, America maintains substantive ties with Taiwan through a nominally private organization, the American Institute in Taiwan. The next administration will need to navigate this complex partnership carefully, considering Beijing's relationships with both Washington and Taipei.


  • Brookings to host Susan Rice for leadership discussion

    Susan Rice, recognized for her influential roles in both domestic and foreign policy, will be featured in a fireside chat hosted by the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings on Thursday, September 5. The event will see Rice in conversation with China Center Director and Senior Fellow Ryan Hass.


  • Glossary aims to bridge US-China understanding on AI in national security

    Since 2019, the Brookings Institution and the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua CISS) have convened teams of national security technology experts from the United States and China for an unofficial Track-II dialogue on artificial intelligence (AI) in national security. The two teams identified a need to build parallel glossaries of AI terms—one developed by U.S. experts and the other developed by Chinese experts—to enable a precise understanding of each other’s intended meanings when discussing AI and national security.


  • Brookings to host discussion on China's naval strength

    China's rapid naval buildup has allowed it to surpass the U.S. Navy in terms of the number of battle force ships, and it continues to expand at a significant rate. The United States maintains a substantial lead over the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) by tonnage and holds a qualitative edge in several types of platforms, although this quality gap is narrowing. Additionally, the United States collaborates closely with other regional navies, though the effectiveness of these alliances in a crisis remains uncertain.


  • Debating US-China relations: A closer look at underlying complexities

    The assertion that a U.S. "consensus" on China policy has emerged is increasingly questioned. Both the Trump and Biden administrations concur that China aims to surpass the United States as the leading global power, marking a rare continuity in foreign policy between the two administrations. Bipartisan agreement exists in Congress regarding Beijing as Washington's primary geopolitical rival. Over the past decade, the U.S. has implemented measures to counter China's military advancements, restrict its access to high-tech components, and strengthen alliances in Europe and Asia.


  • Concerns rise over potential Chinese influence via TikTok ownership

    Washington is concerned about TikTok, particularly regarding Beijing’s influence through the platform's parent company ByteDance. Critics allege that TikTok is used to "silence free speech," "undermine democracy," and "promote propaganda." These fears led President Joe Biden to sign a bill requiring TikTok to find a new owner within a year or face a ban in the United States.


  • China's strategy shifts towards technology-led growth

    During a visit to Heilongjiang Province in September 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the nation to mobilize “new quality productive forces” (新质生产力) to drive economic growth. This message was reiterated at the annual Central Economic Work Conference in December and emphasized by Premier Li Qiang during his annual work report at the National People’s Congress in March 2024. Additionally, on January 31, a coalition of seven ministries led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a list of “future industries” (未来产业), which are intended to be major...


  • How China plans to tackle potential second trump presidency

    By the spring of 2024, China had come to terms with the significant possibility of a second Trump presidency. According to national polling organization FiveThirtyEight, by May 22, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump held a 0.9% lead over President Joe Biden in national presidential polls, at 41.1% versus Biden’s 40.2%. Despite a guilty verdict in his criminal trial, Trump's support remained strong, reflected in a 1.7% lead according to FiveThirtyEight on May 30.