The U.S.-China Relationship
A project exploring the rapid shifts in the United States' role in the world since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic
Phase 2 of our World After Covid project
The U.S.-China Relationship
Phase 2 of Just World Educational's “World After Covid” project focuses on the rapidly shifting balance between the United States and China.
Materials from the earlier phase of the "World After Covid" project can be viewed here. All the video, audio, text, and related materials from the US-China programing that we produced in the second half of 2020 can be accessed here.
On October 17, Just World Ed released the first session of the groundbreaking “US-China public dialogue” that it has been holding in collaboration with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University in Beijing.
This dialogue session featured a conversation that Just World Ed President Helena Cobban held with these two specialists:
- From Beijing, Ambassador He Yafei, a Senior Fellow with the Chongyang Institute who has held many high-ranking diplomatic posts including as Counsellor of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- From Washington DC, we had Dr. Michael Swaine, who recently became the first Director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Dr. Swaine is co-director of a multi-year crisis prevention project with Chinese partners, and he also advises the U.S. government on Asian security issues.
On October 31, Just World Ed released the second session of its "US-China public dialogue," in collaboration with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.
Just World Ed President Helena Cobban discussed economics, technology and the US-China relationship with two experts:
-
From Beijing, Mr. He Weiwen, a Senior Fellow with the Chongyang Institute and Vice Chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs.
-
From here in Washington DC, Dr. Yukon Huang, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Huang was formerly the World Bank’s country director for China and, before that, director for Russia.
The conversations in this Public Dialogue are conducted in English and will be released in the US, Chinese, and global media markets in video, audio, and text formats, with subtitles as necessary for each market.
This dialogue project is also supported by the international No Cold War coalition, which will bring it broad global dissemination of our breakthrough conversations.
In the initial planning for this project, the first “dialogue” session was intended to be a wide-ranging conversation on the past 50 years of US-China relations between veteran U.S. diplomatist Amb. Chas W Freeman, Jr and the Chongyang Institute’s Executive Dean Dr. Wang Wen. However, due to Amb. Freeman’s ill-health that session had to be postponed. We will inform you when it is possible to set a new date for it.
Prior to conducting the Public Dialogue sessions, Ms. Cobban had held two public conversations with US-based specialists on the US-China relationship, both of which are made available lower on this page. They are:
- a broad-ranging conversation she held in early October with American maritime-strategy scholar Dr. Lyle Goldstein. Scroll on down to see the video of that conversation. (Or, you can listen to the audio, here.)
- a conversation she had held back in July with Amb. Freeman.
These materials are published here under a Creative Commons license, which means you are free to re-use any of them for non-commercial purposes, provided you give due attribution to Just World Educational and the individual speakers. If you want to use any of these materials for commercial purposes, please contact Rights@justworldeducational.org to ask about terms.
Videos from the U.S.-China Relationship series
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Yukon Huang and Mr. He Weiwen
Released October 31, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Yukon Huang and Mr. He Weiwen.
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, released October 31, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, released October 31, 2020
The Chinese translation of this session's transcript is available here.
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Michael Swaine and Amb. He Yafei
Released October 17, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Michael Swaine and Amb. He Yafei
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
The Chinese translation of this session's transcript is available here.
Excerpt Videos
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Lyle Goldstein
Released October 10, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Lyle Goldstein, research professor in the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) at the Naval War College and the founding director of CMSI.
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, released October 10, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, released October 10, 2020
"The World After Covid" with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr.
Session 5 of the original project, recorded on July 8, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. A veteran American diplomat, Freeman’s career highlights included being the interpreter for Pres. Nixon during his breakthrough 1972 visit to China; negotiating (in Spanish) with Pres. Fidel Castro over the parallel Cuban and South African withdrawals from Angola; serving as U.S. Ambassador to Riyadh during Operation Desert Storm; and being nixed from consideration as Pres. Obama’s Director of National Intelligence on account of his support for Palestinian rights. Freeman’s books include Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige (Just World Books, 2012.)
Read the transcript: Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. and Helena Cobban, July 8, 2020
Session Resources
Audio Files
Listen to edited, enhanced audio files of each session of The U.S.-China Relationship, the second phase of the JWE World After COVID project, below:
Participants in The U.S.-China Relationship

Helena Cobban

Amb. Chas Freeman, Jr.

Dr. Lyle Goldstein

Amb. He Yafei

Dr. Michael D. Swaine

Mr. He Weiwen

Dr. Yukon Huang
Overall Resources
Transcripts
Read the full transcripts of each session of "The U.S.-China Relationship," below:
- Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, October 10, 2020
- Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
- Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020 (Chinese Translation)
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The U.S.-China Relationship
A project exploring the rapid shifts in the United States’ role in the world since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic
Phase 2 of our World After Covid project
VIDEOS
AUDIO FILES
TRANSCRIPTS
GUEST BIOS
RESOURCES
The U.S.-China Relationship
Phase 2 of Just World Educational’s “World After Covid” project focuses on the rapidly shifting balance between the United States and China.
Materials from the earlier phase of the “World After Covid” project can be viewed here. All the video, audio, text, and related materials from the US-China programing that we produced in the second half of 2020 can be accessed here.
On October 17, Just World Ed released the first session of the groundbreaking “US-China public dialogue” that it has been holding in collaboration with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University in Beijing.
This dialogue session featured a conversation that Just World Ed President Helena Cobban held with these two specialists:
From Beijing, Ambassador He Yafei, a Senior Fellow with the Chongyang Institute who has held many high-ranking diplomatic posts including as Counsellor of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From Washington DC, we had Dr. Michael Swaine, who recently became the first Director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Dr. Swaine is co-director of a multi-year crisis prevention project with Chinese partners, and he also advises the U.S. government on Asian security issues.
On October 31, Just World Ed released the second session of its “US-China public dialogue,” in collaboration with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.
Just World Ed President Helena Cobban discussed economics, technology and the US-China relationship with two experts:
From Beijing, Mr. He Weiwen, a Senior Fellow with the Chongyang Institute and Vice Chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs.
From here in Washington DC, Dr. Yukon Huang, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Dr. Huang was formerly the World Bank’s country director for China and, before that, director for Russia.
The conversations in this Public Dialogue are conducted in English and will be released in the US, Chinese, and global media markets in video, audio, and text formats, with subtitles as necessary for each market.
This dialogue project is also supported by the international No Cold War coalition, which will bring it broad global dissemination of our breakthrough conversations.
In the initial planning for this project, the first “dialogue” session was intended to be a wide-ranging conversation on the past 50 years of US-China relations between veteran U.S. diplomatist Amb. Chas W Freeman, Jr and the Chongyang Institute’s Executive Dean Dr. Wang Wen. However, due to Amb. Freeman’s ill-health that session had to be postponed. We will inform you when it is possible to set a new date for it.
Prior to conducting the Public Dialogue sessions, Ms. Cobban had held two public conversations with US-based specialists on the US-China relationship, both of which are made available lower on this page. They are:
a broad-ranging conversation she held in early October with American maritime-strategy scholar Dr. Lyle Goldstein. Scroll on down to see the video of that conversation. (Or, you can listen to the audio, here.)
a conversation she had held back in July with Amb. Freeman.
These materials are published here under a Creative Commons license, which means you are free to re-use any of them for non-commercial purposes, provided you give due attribution to Just World Educational and the individual speakers. If you want to use any of these materials for commercial purposes, please contact Rights@justworldeducational.org to ask about terms.
Videos from the U.S.-China Relationship series
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Yukon Huang and Mr. He Weiwen
Released October 31, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Yukon Huang and Mr. He Weiwen.
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, released October 31, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, released October 31, 2020
The Chinese translation of this session’s transcript is available here.
▸ Discussion with Dr. Yukon Huang and Mr. He Weiwen
Here are some educational resources relevant to this session:
Yukon Huang’s May 2020 article on the dangers of decoupling
Gita Gopinath’s summary of the Oct 2020 World Economic Outlook
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory portal on US-China tech issues
US Trade Numbers China page
Jeffrey Frankel piece in The Guardian assessing relative economic strength of the US and China
US Trade Representative page on trade with China, includes statistics on foreign direct investment
Yukon Huang’s co-authored Oct. 17 piece on TikTok (South China Morning Post)
Yukon Huang’s page on the Carnegie Endowment website
He Weiwen’s page on the Chongyang website
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Michael Swaine and Amb. He Yafei
Released October 17, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Michael Swaine and Amb. He Yafei
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
The Chinese translation of this session’s transcript is available here.
▸ Discussion with Dr. Michael Swaine and Amb. He Yafei
Here are some educational resources relevant to this session:
Michael Swaine et al’s Oct 1 piece on Principles for new US strategy in East Asia
The Code of Conduct for the South China Sea: A Long and Bumpy Road, by Viet Hoang, The Diplomat, September 28, 2020
How will the U.S. counter China? Michael T. Klare, Le Monde Diplomatique, October 14, 2020
Michael Swaine, et. al., The Overreach of the China Hawks, Foreign Affairs, October 23, 2020
He Yafei’s page on Chongyang Institute website
Michael Swaine’s page on the Quincy Institute website
Chinese, U.S. strategic experts discuss the South China Sea, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Chinese strategic expert calls for revived US-Chinese dialogue, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Images:
Map of claims in the South China Sea:
Excerpt Videos
Session Resources
The U.S.-China Relationship with Dr. Lyle GoldsteinReleased October 10, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Dr. Lyle Goldstein, research professor in the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) at the Naval War College and the founding director of CMSI.
Listen to/download the audio file: Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, released October 10, 2020
Read the transcript: Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, released October 10, 2020
▸ Discussion with Dr. Lyle Goldstein
Here are just a few of the important educational resources provided during this session:
Lyle Goldstein’s book, Meeting China Halfway
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for the South China Sea
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for Taiwan
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest: Sino-Japanese war and its legacies
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest, on China training to invade Taiwan
Map of claims in the South China Sea, from Just World Books
Reuters piece 9-28 on Chinese navy holding 5 simultaneous drills
The Code of Conduct for the South China Sea: A Long and Bumpy Road, by Viet Hoang, The Diplomat, September 28, 2020
Images:
Map of claims in the South China Sea:
Cooperation Spiral for Taiwan:
“The World After Covid” with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr.Session 5 of the original project, recorded on July 8, 2020
JWE President Helena Cobban in conversation with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. A veteran American diplomat, Freeman’s career highlights included being the interpreter for Pres. Nixon during his breakthrough 1972 visit to China; negotiating (in Spanish) with Pres. Fidel Castro over the parallel Cuban and South African withdrawals from Angola; serving as U.S. Ambassador to Riyadh during Operation Desert Storm; and being nixed from consideration as Pres. Obama’s Director of National Intelligence on account of his support for Palestinian rights. Freeman’s books include Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige (Just World Books, 2012.)
Read the transcript: Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. and Helena Cobban, July 8, 2020
Session Resources
▸ Discussion with Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr.
Chas Freeman, America in Distress: The Challenges of Disadvantageous Change
Amb. Freeman’s recent speeches
Freeman’s 2012 book “Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige”
Freeman’s 2016 book “America’s Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East”
Chas W. Freeman, The U.S. and A Resurgent Asia
Remarks to Harvard China Forum, 5-7-2020
The Global Political Outlook (delivered to Saudi Aramco management trainees), June 15, 2020
Audio Files
Listen to edited, enhanced audio files of each session of The U.S.-China Relationship, the second phase of the JWE World After COVID project, below:
Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, October 10, 2020
Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, October 31, 2020
Participants in The U.S.-China Relationship
Helena Cobban
BIO
Amb. Chas Freeman, Jr.
BIO
Dr. Lyle Goldstein
BIO
Amb. He Yafei
BIO
Dr. Michael D. Swaine
BIO
Mr. He Weiwen
BIO
Dr. Yukon Huang
BIO
Overall Resources
▸ The U.S.-China Relationship and Maritime Issues
Lyle Goldstein’s book, Meeting China Halfway
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for the South China Sea
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for Taiwan
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest: Sino-Japanese war and its legacies
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest, on China training to invade Taiwan
Map of claims in the South China Sea, from Just World Books
Reuters piece 9-28 on Chinese navy holding 5 simultaneous drills
The Code of Conduct for the South China Sea: A Long and Bumpy Road, by Viet Hoang, The Diplomat, September 28, 2020
Chinese, U.S. strategic experts discuss the South China Sea, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Chinese strategic expert calls for revived US-Chinese dialogue, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Images:
Map of claims in the South China Sea:
Cooperation Spiral for Taiwan:
▸ The U.S.-China Relationship and U.S. Strategic Approaches
Amb. Chas Freeman’s 2012 book “Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige”
Portal to texts of Amb. Freeman’s recent speeches
Michael Swaine et al’s Oct 1 piece on Principles for new US strategy in East Asia
How will the U.S. counter China? Michael T. Klare, Le Monde Diplomatique, October 14, 2020
Michael Swaine, et. al., The Overreach of the China Hawks, Foreign Affairs, October 23, 2020
Chinese, U.S. strategic experts discuss the South China Sea, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Chinese strategic expert calls for revived US-Chinese dialogue, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
▸ The U.S.-China Relationship: Economics and Technology
Yukon Huang’s May 2020 article on the dangers of decoupling
Gita Gopinath’s summary of the Oct 2020 World Economic Outlook
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory portal on US-China tech issues
US Trade Numbers China page
Jeffrey Frankel piece in The Guardian assessing relative economic strength of the US and China
US Trade Representative page on trade with China, includes statistics on foreign direct investment
Yukon Huang’s co-authored Oct. 17 piece on TikTok (South China Morning Post)
Yukon Huang’s page on the Carnegie Endowment website
He Weiwen’s page on the Chongyang website
▸ All Resources on the U.S.-China Relationship
Just World Educational Blog, Writings on China
Amb. Chas Freeman’s 2012 book “Interesting Times: China, America, and the Shifting Balance of Prestige”
Portal to texts of Amb. Freeman’s recent speeches
Michael Swaine et al’s Oct 1 piece on Principles for new US strategy in East Asia
Lyle Goldstein’s book, Meeting China Halfway
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for the South China Sea
Lyle Goldstein’s “cooperation spiral” for Taiwan
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest: Sino-Japanese war and its legacies
Lyle Goldstein in the National Interest, on China training to invade Taiwan
Map of claims in the South China Sea, from Just World Books
Reuters piece 9-28 on Chinese navy holding 5 simultaneous drills
Lyle Goldstein’s page on the U.S. Naval War College website
The Code of Conduct for the South China Sea: A Long and Bumpy Road, by Viet Hoang, The Diplomat, September 28, 2020
How will the U.S. counter China? Michael T. Klare, Le Monde Diplomatique, October 14, 2020
Michael Swaine, et. al., The Overreach of the China Hawks, Foreign Affairs, October 23, 2020
Chinese, U.S. strategic experts discuss the South China Sea, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Chinese strategic expert calls for revived US-Chinese dialogue, Helena Cobban, Just World Educational Blog
Yukon Huang’s May 2020 article on the dangers of decoupling
Gita Gopinath’s summary of the Oct 2020 World Economic Outlook
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory portal on US-China tech issues
US Trade Numbers China page
Jeffrey Frankel piece in The Guardian assessing relative economic strength of the US and China
US Trade Representative page on trade with China, includes statistics on foreign direct investment
Yukon Huang’s co-authored Oct. 17 piece on TikTok (South China Morning Post)
Yukon Huang’s page on the Carnegie Endowment website
He Yafei’s page on Chongyang Institute website
He Weiwen’s page on the Chongyang website
Michael Swaine’s page on the Quincy Institute website
Images:
Map of claims in the South China Sea:
Cooperation Spiral for Taiwan:
Transcripts
Read the full transcripts of each session of “The U.S.-China Relationship,” below:
Dr. Lyle Goldstein and Helena Cobban, October 10, 2020
Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020
Dr. Michael Swaine, Amb. He Yafei and Helena Cobban, October 17, 2020 (Chinese Translation)
Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, October 31, 2020
Dr. Yukon Huang, Mr. He Weiwen and Helena Cobban, October 31, 2020 (Chinese Translation)
Amb. Chas W. Freeman, Jr. and Helena Cobban, July 8, 2020
Support Just World Educational
If you find this project worthwhile, engaging, and useful, please consider supporting our mission. We strive to expand the dialogue on vital international issues by providing educational materials and a platform for critical thinkers.
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