Aug 3, 2021
On July 1, the Communist Party of China celebrated its 100th anniversary. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a speech that unsettled some China watchers with provocative comments about the existing world order. Symptomatic of increasing U.S.-China tensions, Xi’s speech comes amid efforts in both countries to decouple these two large and intertwined national economies. But is decoupling in either country’s best interests? This week, the Eurasia Group Foundation’s Mark Hannah is joined by China experts Ryan Hass and Susan Thornton, who suggest a different approach. While competition may define the U.S.-China relationship for decades to come, Hass and Thornton argue that leaders would be wise to not overlook areas of cooperation or become so focused on the other that they put their domestic aspirations at risk.
Ryan Hass served in the Obama White House and is now Senior Fellow and the Michael H. Armacost Chair at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of the book, Stronger: Adapting America’s China Strategy in an Age of Competitive Interdependence. You can follow Ryan on Twitter at @ryanl_hass.
Susan Thornton served in the United States Department of State for nearly thirty years, focusing on East and Central Asia issues. Currently, Susan is Senior Fellow at the Yale Paul Tsai China Center. You can follow Susan on Twitter at @suea_thornton.