At a time of heightened tension and strategic recalibration, the U.S.-China relationship is undergoing significant change as the Trump Administration announces high tariffs on Chinese goods and trade and investment restrictions while also signaling that President Trump may be open to negotiations. Sino-American competition is intensifying across economic, political, and technological realms, and opportunities for collaboration to tackle global issues such as AI governance, climate change, and public health remain elusive. From debates over trade and industrial policy to diverging visions of the global order, the world’s two largest powers are navigating a period of profound uncertainty.

Alison Friedman, Andrew Polk, and Jessica Chen Weiss joined NCUSCR President Stephen Orlins on May 20 for the National Committee’s annual Members’ Program, where they discussed the state of the U.S.-China relationship from cultural, economic and trade, and political perspectives.

About the speakers