Richard Fontaine on CNAS and US-China

Feb 8, 2021

Richard Fontaine, CEO of CNAS and a leading voice in national security, dives deep into U.S.-China relations. He discusses Biden’s foreign policy strategies, touching on human rights issues and climate cooperation. Fontaine shares insights from his debates with Ely Ratner and the influence of tech on policy. He also reveals his passion for faith-centered studies and reflects on the evolving identity and purpose in contemporary China. Plus, stick around for a humorous take on parenting and grocery delivery!

01:28:28

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INSIGHT

CNAS's Role

CNAS is at the center of national security debates, especially with a divided Congress.
Its bipartisan nature helps connect with both parties to find policy solutions.

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INSIGHT

Project Selection at CNAS

CNAS carefully chooses its projects based on importance, unique capabilities, and potential impact.
They avoid unimportant or already well-covered issues.

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INSIGHT

Trade and Politics

Current U.S. politics aren't in a free trade moment, which affects trade decisions.
Even in Biden's first term, domestic trade politics may outweigh Asia policy.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Navigating Remote Collaboration in Think Tanks

01:51 • 13min

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Navigating U.S. Policy Amidst Asian Dynamics

15:08 • 17min

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Chinese Business Operations and Economic Perspectives

31:42 • 2min

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Searching for Meaning in a Material World

33:31 • 7min

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Navigating U.S.-China Relations

40:42 • 10min

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Perspectives on U.S. Foreign Policy

50:38 • 12min

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Hypothetical Leadership: McCain and U.S.-China Dynamics

01:02:42 • 19min

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Balancing Life and Responsibilities with a Touch of Humor

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Richard Fontaine, CEO of CNAS, discusses what it's like to run what very well may be the hottest think tank in the Asia policy game (full disclosure: I'm a CNAS adjunct).

We get into Biden and Asia and how the new president's foreign policy team will prioritize what they want to get out of the US-China relationship. We also touch on the biggest argument Richard's had with current senior DoD official and former CNAS VP Ely Ratner, what he's learned from looking at China questions with Silicon Valley luminaries, why he'd like to do more faith-centered studies of foreign policy, what fiction he's reading...and if you stick around until the end of the show we get into export controls!

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Ad music: Oddissee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx4FrSkuPsE

Outtro music (after all the complaints about Bruce Springsteen you get two tracks this week...)

爆音BOOM《变》https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKjmqMAlmhk

PG One 不可说 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kw0cnP4fbo

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