On Thursday 18 March, 2021, CICP organized a webinar to examine US perceptions of China and to explore other states’ – China, Japan, Australia, and ASEAN – expectations and views regarding the development of U.S. policy towards China in the new Biden administration. The theme of the webinar was “US Perception of China: Competition or Collaboration?”.
Eight eminent speakers were invited to share their perspectives. They are:
1. Dr. Ralph A. Cossa, President Emeritus, and WSD-Handa Chair in Peace Studies, Pacific Forum,
2. Dr. Satu P. Limaye, Vice President East West Center & Director, East West Center in Washington,
3. Dr. Pham Cao Cuong, Senior Researcher and Vice President of Vietnam Institute of America Studies (VIAS), Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam.
4. Dr. Yang Xiangfeng, Associate Professor, Yonsei University, Korea
5. Dr. Thitinan Pongsuhirak, Director, Institute of Security and International Studies, Thailand
6. Dr. Akio Takahara, Senior Adjunct Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs,
7. H.E. Amb. John McCarthy AO, Senior Advisor, Asialink and former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand, the United States, Indonesia and Japan and High Commissioner to India,
8. Dr. Philips Vermonte, President, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia
Takeaways from the Webinar are as follows:
– The approach of the new US Administration towards China remain vagues and unsettled at this moment in time as President Biden has been in office only for about 60 days.
– The US is likely to maintain the same course of being tough on China but the tone, approach and practice will be smoother and politically more flexible.
– Policy makers in Washington share a consensus view on China’s assertiveness challenging US interests in the region; however, President Biden will likely give greater priority to China than Trump in curbing China’s assertive actions against the US national interests in a non-antagonistic way.
– Cooperation or confrontation between the two powers is the choice that China must make as the US sees China as a reactive power to US influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
– Besides restoring American values and revitalizing US leadership worldwide, President Biden needs to restore President Trump’s hands-off approach to ASEAN and give ASEAN due attention so as not to let China take full advantage of the situation. ASEAN prefers to engage both the US and China and hopes that both powers reconcile their differences through cooperative behavior.
– Going forward into the Post-Covid future, both China and the US are intensifying their strategic competition.
For more details, please refer: https://www.facebook.com/cicp.org.kh/posts/3740222646055400
Full webinar videos are available to watch in these links:
Panel 1 on US Perceptions of China: https://www.facebook.com/cicp.org.kh/videos/233093698552088/
Panel 2 on Regional Perspectives on Biden’s China Policy:https://www.facebook.com/cicp.org.kh/videos/188881979407486/
