The China Strategy Initiative

TL;DR

CFR launches China Strategy Initiative to address U.S.-China competition.

Transcript

DOSHI: All right, well, good morning, everybody.  Thanks for joining us so early in the morning   on a Monday, after a weekend. Welcome to the  Council on Foreign Relations. I am Rush Doshi, director—as of just moments ago—of our China  Strategy Initiative. (Laughter.) We’re excited to welcome you to the launch of this new  endeavor. In just a mome... Read More

Key Insights

• The China Strategy Initiative aims to address unprecedented challenges posed by U.S.-China competition, leveraging CFR's century-long history of convening diverse political voices.
• The initiative will launch new programs providing fresh analysis, policy recommendations, and expert convenings, drawing on CFR's extensive network of members and partners.
• CFR President Mike Froman emphasized the importance of understanding China's strategic thinking, actions, and the U.S.'s competitive strategy, highlighting the stakes involved in global economic and security dynamics.
• The initiative includes projects like the open-source observatory for Chinese-language materials and China 360 to monitor China's global activities and responses.
• The Global China Forum will facilitate expert discussions on managing competition, cooperation, and avoiding conflict, particularly focusing on economic, technological, and strategic arenas.
• Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell underscored the Biden administration's commitment to sustained engagement in the Indo-Pacific, highlighting alliances like the Quad, AUKUS, and trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea.
• Campbell noted the strategic competition with China involves complex inter-regional dynamics, including partnerships with Europe and challenges from Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
• The event featured discussions on U.S. policy towards China, implications of AI on national security, and the necessity of bipartisan support for maintaining U.S. strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the China Strategy Initiative?

The China Strategy Initiative aims to address the unprecedented challenge posed by U.S.-China competition. It seeks to provide fresh analysis, policy recommendations, and expert convenings to answer core questions about America’s China strategy. The initiative will leverage CFR's network and history of convening diverse political voices to address economic, technological, and strategic dynamics in the U.S.-China relationship.

Q: How does the initiative plan to address China’s global activities?

The initiative plans to address China's global activities through projects like China 360, which aims to better understand China’s international actions and how countries respond to them. It will also launch an open-source observatory to acquire, digitize, and translate Chinese-language materials, making them publicly available. These efforts will provide a comprehensive view of China's strategies and influence worldwide.

Q: What role does the Global China Forum play in the initiative?

The Global China Forum is a key component of the initiative, designed to facilitate conversations with experts from China and around the world. It aims to address how to manage competition, work together, and avoid conflict, particularly focusing on economic, technological, and strategic arenas. The forum will help deepen research in critical areas, including defense, diplomacy, economics, and global governance.

Q: What are the strategic priorities of the Biden administration in the Indo-Pacific?

The Biden administration prioritizes sustained U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing alliances such as the Quad, AUKUS, and trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea. The administration aims to address strategic competition with China, focusing on the economic, technological, and security arenas. This approach involves revitalizing partnerships, enhancing deterrence, and ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Q: How does the initiative plan to leverage CFR's network?

The initiative plans to leverage CFR's extensive network of members and institutional partners to provide comprehensive analysis and policy recommendations. By drawing on the expertise of CFR staff and its thousands of members, the initiative aims to convene diverse voices and perspectives, facilitating meaningful discussions and collaborations to address the complex challenges of U.S.-China competition.

Q: What challenges does the U.S. face in its strategic competition with China?

The U.S. faces multifaceted challenges in its strategic competition with China, including China's technological and industrial strength, military buildup, and economic policies with global implications. The competition spans economic, strategic, political, and technological arenas, impacting the international system's shape, regional stability, and transnational issues like climate change and public health.

Q: What is the significance of alliances like the Quad and AUKUS?

Alliances like the Quad and AUKUS are significant as they enhance U.S. strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific, providing a platform for cooperation on security, economic, and technological issues. These alliances help counterbalance China's influence, promote regional stability, and enable collaborative efforts on shared challenges, reinforcing the U.S.'s commitment to its allies and partners in the region.

Q: How does the initiative address the implications of AI on national security?

The initiative addresses the implications of AI on national security by facilitating discussions and research on how AI impacts strategic competition with China. It involves examining AI's role in defense, technology, and transnational challenges, ensuring that the U.S. remains at the forefront of technological advancements while managing the potential risks and opportunities AI presents in the context of U.S.-China relations.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The China Strategy Initiative, led by Rush Doshi at CFR, seeks to address the strategic competition between the U.S. and China by launching new programs for analysis, policy recommendations, and expert convenings. It aims to answer core questions about America’s China strategy and includes projects like the open-source observatory and China 360.

• Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell emphasized the Biden administration's focus on sustaining U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the importance of alliances such as the Quad, AUKUS, and trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea, underscoring the strategic competition with China across economic, technological, and security arenas.

• The launch event featured discussions on U.S. policy towards China, the implications of AI on national security, and the importance of bipartisan support. CFR President Mike Froman and Deputy Secretary Campbell discussed the necessity of international cooperation and strategic partnerships to address the complex challenges posed by China's global activities.