The Legacy of Joseph Nye and His Wisdom for Sino-U.S. Relations

In May, the world lost one of its most thoughtful and influential voices in international affairs: Professor Joseph S. Nye Jr. At 88, he left behind a legacy as a teacher, theorist, and bridge-builder between nations. I am deeply saddened by his passing. I was privileged to have known him personally, and as I reflect on our interactions over the years, I am reminded of his immense generosity of spirit, intellectual clarity, and unwavering commitment to peace through understanding. 

Joseph Nye will forever be remembered as the architect of the concept of “soft power,” a term that has since become foundational to how we think about global influence. As he often remarked, “One has to imagine not just power over other countries, but power with other countries. These issues, the transnational issues, cannot be solved by exerting power.” His finding that attraction and persuasion often serve countries better than force and coercion shaped the modern field of international relations and served as a guiding light for those dedicated to building bridges between East and West. 

I first met Professor Nye in 2010, when I was a senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Even then, well into his seventies, he radiated energy and intellectual vitality. He was generous with his time, engaging with young scholars and international visitors alike. We connected immediately and shared meaningful conversations and dialogues over the years. His wisdom stood out not because he was forceful in argument, but because he listened and understood. In a time when diplomacy often falls prey to ideology or arrogance, Nye maintained a conscientious and ethical manner and stood unwavering in his rejection of a fatalistic destiny of inevitable conflict. 

Over the years, he remained in regular contact and strongly supported the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). His presence in our programs was always thoughtful, never perfunctory.  He was sharp, hopeful, and always focused on solutions. 

As Nye discussed with me in a 2021 dialogue, U.S.-China ties can be characterized in twenty-year cycles starting in 1950 with conflict over the Korean Peninsula, to strategic alliance following Nixon’s visit to Beijing in the 1970s, through the 90s we saw China integrate, joining the WTO and the US led economic order.  Now in 2025, we stand at the midpoint of the latest 20-year cycle that began with Donald Trump’s 2015 presidential candidacy. Properly managed, this present downturn need not be permanent; in Nye’s eyes, diplomacy’s arc could always bend back toward mutual benefit.

He joined us again in 2023 for the launch of his book that I edited for him, Soft Power and Great-Power Competition: Shifting Sands in the Balance of Power between the United States and China, as part of the China and Globalization series I co-edited with Dr. Mabel Liao. Co-published by CCG, Springer, and CITIC Press in Chinese.  He stressed the need for “guardrails” in U.S.-China ties—not to restrict contact, but to prevent crises. He was particularly concerned about the dangers of decoupling in areas where our interdependence is not only strategic but existential: pandemics, climate change, technological standards, and the global commons. It was also there that we discussed his memoir, A Life in the American Century, and he entrusted us with bringing it to a Chinese audience. It was an honor to accept that task. The book is now soon to be published by CCG in partnership with China Science and Technology Press, though he sadly did not live to see it come to fruition. 

His warnings were rooted in a deep understanding of theory and history. Nye rejected Cold War analogies, insisting that the U.S.-China relationship was categorically different from that between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. As he said at CCG’s 8th China Global Think Tank Innovation Conference, “We confuse ourselves when we use that terminology.” The sheer scale of economic integration, educational exchange, and social interconnectedness between our countries requires a new framework—one where both nations must develop the capacity to work with, not just against, each other. 

Even as his health began to wane, his thinking remained sharp and his drive undiminished. He continued to challenge lazy thinking and resisted populist currents. In 2024, he invited me and Dr. Mabel Liao to the Aspen Security Forum, where we met in person for the last time. It was there I had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Molly, who sadly passed away five months before him, in December. At Aspen, he stood firm and made clear his opposition to decoupling between China and the United States. The loss was a blow, and coupled with concerns over his health, gradually drew him away from public engagement. Even in his final months, he remained productive—writing and publishing thoughtful and piercing commentary. 

His sudden passing this May came as a deeply unexpected shock. And now as the world could benefit most from his calls for cooperation and understanding—and rejection of reckless decoupling— amidst the turbulent times of the Second Trump Administration and a global order increasingly in upheaval he has departed for the final time. More than anything, I will miss his presence—his clarity, his fairness, and his willingness to engage with China not as an adversary to be defeated, but as a partner in shaping the future and no decoupling between our two countries. In every exchange, he responded personally. He never stood on ceremony. His humility made his intellect all the more compelling. 

He believed that power was not just about coercion or even strategy, but about inspiration. That is why he remained a powerful voice in both academic and policy circles long after retirement. He never stopped trying to improve the world.

For those of us committed to stabilizing and strengthening U.S.-China relations, his life remains a beacon. As I grieve his passing, I also renew my commitment to the work we shared: building understanding, resisting confrontation, and believing—as he did—that our destinies are not a terminal spiral to conflict written in stone. The legacy and legend of Joseph Nye and his wisdom will continue to inspire all of us for Sino-US Relations.