MERICS Members Event: Where are US-China relations taking us?

European strategies towards China are fundamentally shaped by the rivalry between Beijing and Washington. Governments and companies are equally affected by trajectory of Sino-US relations. While the recent meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in Bali sent reassuring signals that both sides want to prevent the tensions from spinning out of control, the lines of division run deep and across all sectors. Conflicts in the areas of security, global order, technology or innovation have a significant influence on the room for maneuver for European decision-makers in politics and business. 

We have been pleased to discuss these issues in a confidential digital MERICS Members Event on Tuesday, December 13. MERICS Director External Relations, Bernhard Bartsch had a conversation with Paul Haenle, former White House China director and Maurice R. Greenberg Director’s Chair at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Chen Dingding, Professor of International Relations at Jinan University. MERICS Lead Analyst Helena Legarda provided a European perspective. 

Speakers: 
Paul Haenle served as the White House China director on the National Security Council staff of former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He currently holds the Maurice R. Greenberg Director’s Chair at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and is a visiting senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore.

Dingding Chen is a Professor of International Relations at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China and the Founding Director of Intellisia Institute, an independent think tank focusing on international affairs in China. 

Helena Legarda, Lead Analyst, MERICS. 

Moderator:
Bernhard Bartsch, Director External Relations, MERICS

Please note that the meeting was confidential and by personal invitation only (Chatham House Rules). This online event was part of our portfolio for MERICS Members and key stakeholders.