Talks on China

In this conversation, Rana Mitter joins Tom Tugendhat MP, chair of the China Research Group, for a discussion on the UK's relationship with China and China's wider foreign policy. Rana discusses the value of the Chinese public's trust in the UK, and the need for the UK to be more aware of its strategic strengths in the relationship. He also answered questions on the broader picture of the Belt and Road, China's relationship with Pakistan and India, and the influence of the CCP on modern Chinese society.

Rana Mitter is Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at the University of Oxford. He has written widely about modern China, having authored several books looking at China's historical perspective. He has also written a paper with Sophia Gaston for the British Foreign Policy Group assessing UK-China relations.

Our panel of experts joined us to give some insight into how US-China relations will evolve under newly-inaugurated President Biden. Gideon Rachman (Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator at the Financial Times), Dr Evan Medeiros (Penner Family Chair of Asia Studies at Georgetown University, Former Director for China at the NSC and lead advisor on Asia-Pacific under President Obama) and Jude Blanchette (Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS).

The wide-ranging conversation looked at policy priorities for President Biden’s new team and why the next 18 months of Chinese politics may represent a window of opportunity for Western democracies to coalesce and change the cost-benefit equation of CCP aggression. 

Our speakers also answered questions on US and China's use of sanctions, and the necessity and difficulty of forging democratic coalitions. The panellists also discussed areas where the UK could offer strategic and symbolic value to the US, before concluding on the topical question of whether the US should boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The full transcript is available on our website.