Sinica Podcast

Broken Engagement: Veteran China reporter Bob Davis on his new collection of interviews

18 snips
May 7, 2025
Bob Davis, a veteran Wall Street Journal reporter with decades of experience covering U.S.-China relations, discusses his book 'Broken Engagement,' featuring interviews with pivotal U.S. policymakers. He shares insights on whether the engagement strategy was flawed from the beginning and highlights compelling anecdotes from interviews with Nancy Pelosi and others. Key topics include the implications of Taiwan visits, misreading Xi Jinping, and how COVID reshaped perspectives. Davis provides a nuanced look at the challenges and shifts in U.S. diplomacy towards China.
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INSIGHT

Early Engagement Was Security-Focused

  • Engagement initially focused on national security rather than economics, which worked well in early U.S.-China relations.
  • The relationship began souring at the end of the Obama administration, coinciding with Xi Jinping's rise and changes in Chinese policy.
INSIGHT

Varied Aspirations Undermined Engagement

  • Engagement meant different things to different U.S. officials, ranging from economic integration to political reform.
  • The lack of a unified vision and naïve expectations contributed to engagement's unraveling.
INSIGHT

Pelosi's Human Rights Push Was Symbolic

  • Nancy Pelosi's human rights-driven approach to China policy was doomed due to overwhelming corporate interests and Chinese resistance.
  • She saw her efforts as symbolic acts rather than achievable policy changes.
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