Navigating U.S.-China Geopolitical Tensions

Can diplomatic charisma prevent crises from escalating? Does the CCP feel conflicted about aligning with the likes of Iran and North Korea? What’s the use of communicating during a great power competition?

To find out, ChinaTalk interviewed R. Nicholas Burns, Biden’s Ambassador to China, whose diplomatic career spans 35 years and 8 countries.

We discuss…

• Kissinger’s experience negotiating with the CCP,
• Why China’s negotiating tactics are so different from those of the Soviet Union,
• How European allies are helping to push back against Chinese aggression,
• Great power responsibilities, and whether Chinese leaders truly appreciate the reputational costs of helping the Russians and the Houthis,
• Biden’s victories with new partners in the Pacific,
• How diplomats express consequences and draw red lines during international crises,
• Areas of mutual interest where the U.S. and China can still engage productively,
• The importance of specialists in the Foreign Service. 

Outro music: 

Óró Mo Bháidín - Mary O’Hara

Auld Lang Syne - Rendition by The Irish Rovers, originally written by Robert Burns

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