Podcast series launch: America’s evolving relationship with the Asia-Pacific

December 3, 2020

Susan Thornton, retired senior U.S. diplomat, joined David Firestein to discuss expectations concerning U.S. relations with China under the incoming Biden Administration and assessments of engaging traditional allies in Asia. The discussion delves into the challenges of restoring diplomatic relations with Asian nations, re-engaging China on different terms and internal and external challenges with regards to trade.

“It’s going to be very difficult for us to get back to a place domestically where we can be contemplating signing or joining new trade agreements, which may be potentially debilitating for the United States, given that Asia is going to be the most dynamically growing part of the global economy for the coming decade,” states Thornton.

Susan Thornton is the former United States acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and is currently a visiting lecturer in law at Yale Law School and a senior fellow at the Paul Tsai China Center.