5th Annual Symposium 2012
America’s “Return to Asia” and China’s Broadening Pacific Power
Military Security
This panel presents a look at the future of “hard” security issues in the context of leadership transition in America, China, Taiwan, South Korea, and other countries. It examines the intersection of three trends: the “return to Asia” of American military presence and close relations with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, ASEAN, and other states and actors, the continuing reality of cuts in America’s overall defense spending, and China’s assertion of military power in the South China Sea and Pacific, quickly-growing defense spending, and naval modernization. America and China are the world’s largest economies and, according to some measures, the world’s top military spenders. The two countries’ military postures--spending, alliances, deployments, doctrine, and strategy--are integral to the US-China bilateral relationship.
Engagement with China
Diplomacy, Negotiation, and Dispute Resolution
Engagement with China is an ongoing issue at a bilateral and multilateral level. Learning how to deal with the new dynamics posed by the leadership change is crucial in determining engagement strategies over key issues, such as economic reform, environmental protection and human rights.
2012: 20 years after Deng Xiao Ping
Economics and Business
The current economic policy of China, and what are the next steps expected to be taken in the near future.
2012 will mark the 20th anniversary of the retirement of Deng Xiaoping as a leader of China and great economic reformer that has led to the economic growth of the last 20 years.
This panel should address the necessary overview of relevant economic policies, needed by current and prospective US investors in China. The change of leadership in 2012 has the potential to change those policies, and the panel should address what is the desired outcome and what is the expected one. Finally, it should point out to uncertainties and open questions that interested observers should keep an eye on.
The Role of Law in Political Reform
Rule of Law in Development
The People's Republic of China has purportedly made the most extensive effort in world history to build a legal system. But what does it mean to build legal order? More specifically, what is the role of law in economic development, in political reform, in creating social harmony and stability in the long run, if any? Each panelist will hopefully shed new light on these questions.
Moreover, they will discuss what this means for future US-China relations. For Western observers concerned about the human rights story in China, they may want to see US leader take a more dignified stand on this at the negotiating table, but does the US have any leverage? The environmental movement is interesting, since stories are emerging everyday of environmental NGOs coalescing around coalitions to protest against the malpractices of foreign firms, most recently Apple's supply chain plants. Though this has so far targeted mostly MNCs, what does this mean for the Chinese government officials who are the ones striking deals with foreigners, and furthermore for US-China economic relations centered on trade and investment?