Post-Debate Rundown:Face-Off with China
In a wide-ranging evening of debate, General David Petraeus joined military historian Max Boot for a keynote conversation and broad look into the most pressing global challenges of the Trump era. Then, four of the world’s most prominent foreign policy voices zeroed in on the most important strategic relationship of the twenty-first century: the United States and China.
KEYNOTE CONVERSATION
‘You can’t drone your way out of a problem’
General David Petraeus on President Trump’s approach to foreign policy and 5 key lessons from fighting terrorism. –Business Insider
TRUMP IS MAKING CHINA GREAT AGAIN
For: “There’s a stability gap. China is obligated, whether they would like to or not, to step into the gap. Greatness is not only what you do. It’s also what happens around you.” (Noah Feldman)
Against: “President Trump may be crippling U.S. influence globally, and diminishing U.S. greatness, but this doesn’t make China great. Greatness has to be earned.”(Elizabeth Economy)
THE U.S. SHOULD PLAY HARDBALL WITH CHINA ON TRADE
For: “If there were a trade war, we would win it, though both would take damage. That would be much more challenging in five or ten years’ time.” (Ian Bremmer)
Against: “I don’t trust the Trump administration to escalate tensions with China over questions of trade. We need leverage. Right now the U.S. needs China’s help on a wide range of security issues, North Korea most significantly amongst them.” (Noah Feldman)
FORGE A GRAND BARGAIN TO CONTAIN NORTH KOREA
For: “I come back to unification – it’s the one thing all parties agree on. North wants to unify. South wants to unify. Americans are not opposed to it. Chinese are not opposed to it. I think we need to think beyond nukes.” (David Shambaugh)
Against: “Once the North Koreans develop a nuclear program that they consider is sufficiently robust, we could get a deal with the Chinese. We are not there yet.” (Ian Bremmer)
CHINA IS DESTINED FOR REGIONAL DOMINANCE
For: “China is the largest and most significant trading partner of every country in the region, broadly defined. Its economic leverage over those countries is enormous.” (Noah Feldman)
Against: “I want to make a totally different point, and that is that we have not even raised the possibility that China’s not going to be in a position to be a regionally dominant power because, actually, its economy is going to collapse or at least is going to slow down so significantly that it’s not going to be able to continue on the path that it’s on.” (Elizabeth Economy)