Navigating U.S.-China Relations: A Conversation with Jessica Chen Weiss

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Jessica Chen Weiss joins us to discuss the state of U.S.-China relations and her recent lengthy article in Foreign Affairs. Dr. Weiss evaluates the Biden Administration’s approach to China, from the nature of the growing U.S.-China competition to how both sides could approach tensions over Taiwan. She argues that both China and the United States must demonstrate “reciprocal restraint” in order to reduce the chance of conflict and facilitate substantive progress in their relationship. She also offers her perspective on the upcoming Party Congress, evaluating how Chinese President Xi Jinping may behave as he enters his presumed third term. Lastly, Dr. Chen Weiss gives recommendations on how U.S. policy can adapt in order to avoid a “catastrophic” conflict with China.

Dr. Jessica Chen Weiss is the Michael J. Zak Professor for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at Cornell University. From August 2021 to July 2022, she served as a senior advisor to the Secretary’s policy planning staff at the U.S. Department of State. Her research focuses on Chinese politics and foreign relations with an emphasis on nationalism and public opinion, specifically on the connection between domestic politics and international relations. Dr. Weiss recently published a piece in Foreign Affairs, titled “The China Trap: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Perilous Logic of Zero-Sum Competition.”