Stephen Roach, Senior Fellow, Yale University
Apr 28, 2023
Five years into a once-unthinkable trade war with China, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen chose her words carefully on April 20. In a wide-ranging speech, she reversed the terms of US engagement with China, prioritizing national-security concerns over economic considerations. That formally ended a 40-year emphasis on economics and trade as the anchor to the world’s most important bilateral relationship. Yellen’s stance on security was almost confrontational: “We will not compromise on these concerns, even when they force trade-offs with our economic interests.”
Ma Xue, Associate Fellow, Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations
Apr 26, 2023
Financial markets are grounded in trust. When trust falters, dislocation follows. Panic in short-term financing markets in the United States could ignite a larger crisis in the overall economy, creating a vicious circle that undermines growth.
Bala Ramasamy, Professor of Economics and Associate Dean and Director of the Global EMBA Programme, China Europe International School in Shanghai
Matthew Yeung, Associate Professor at Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Apr 17, 2023
The shift of the US policy from engaging China to containing China can be traced back to the Obama administration and his pivot to Asia strategy in 2009.
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy, HKU and Rhodes Scholar
Apr 04, 2023
Recent years have seen a surge in interest in framing China’s developmental trajectory as an exceptional story attributable to the excellence of the Chinese people and its governance model. But to understand such transformations fully, we must recognize and acknowledge the role often played by Western ideals and innovation; only then, could we be seeking real truths from substantive facts.
James Hinote, Geopolitical Strategist
Apr 04, 2023
The People’s Republic of China wishes to increase domestic consumption to reduce reliance on western trade, technology, and knowledge. One attempt at this is inviting western companies to learn their business strategies, enable domestic competitors, and use mass media to sway consumer spending. This strategy has had mixed success, and increasing domestic consumption will be difficult as the economic recovery from COVID is slower than expected.
Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa, European Union consultant, AsiaGlobal Fellow at Asia Global Institute, HKU
Apr 04, 2023
The EU and U.S. recently announced a deal providing America favorable treatment to European critical materials. The agreement will deepen cooperation and decrease their dependency on China, but potential consequences remain uncertain. In the future, the EU should adopt a more ambitious stance to strengthen their position as a self-reliant and influential global geopolitical force, as they navigate the delicate balance between Beijing and Washington.
He Weiwen, Senior Fellow, Center for China and Globalization, CCG
Mar 24, 2023
The decline in trade cannot continue, as both countries need each other. It can be expected that they will patch up their disputes and work together, turning the numbers around to bring more tangible benefits to their people.
Xu Hongcai, Deputy Director, Economic Policy Commission
Mar 24, 2023
Consumption is the key. To restore and expand it, China needs to roll out sound, targeted policies. Obstacles that currently hinder consumption growth need to be removed, especially in the real estate and automobile sectors.
Xiao Bin, Deputy Secretary-general, Center for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, Chinese Association of Social Sciences
Mar 24, 2023
The Russia-Ukraine war has shaken Europe’s energy security, triggering major adjustments in supply chains, consumption and renewable energy development. The conflict and its spillover effects suggest that a new economic cold war may already be underway.
Kathryn Neville, Masters student, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
Mar 13, 2023
The end of ‘zero-COVID’ policies may have produced some private sector optimism about the country’s growth trajectory but certain indicators reveal a weakness in the system. Policymakers and investors remain skittish on China, increasingly looking to Southeast Asia as a haven of financial promise and stability.