Since its accession to the WTO in 2001, China has achieved tremendous economic growth and so far, it has enjoyed the full benefits of a liberal economy while maintaining a one-party government system.

During the latter half of the Obama Administration, the US policy gradually moved toward a policy of engagement aimed at shifting China’s system into a liberal one through involving Beijing into a free-market economy framework until it was almost completely wiped out by the Trump Administration.

Following successive measures against China, such as tightening export restrictions on Chinese companies such as Huawei, restructuring the supply chain and strengthening cyber-security measures, the coronavirus crisis has rapidly accelerated the opposition between the two powers.

During this session, we will welcome experts on US-China relations to explore the nature of the conflict, now entering into a new phase of tensions, and discuss how countries that are affected by the situation should approach this new phase of opposition.