Jonathan R. Stromseth

China is widely viewed as a global powerhouse that has achieved a remarkable economic transformation with little political change. Less well known is that China’s leaders have also implemented far-reaching governance reforms designed to promote government transparency and increase public participation in official policymaking. What are the motivati… Read more

A sea change is unfolding in the world of foreign aid. Emerging powers, particularly China and India, are challenging longstanding aid principles held by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other established donors. Ironically, amid this shifting landscape, opportunities exist for increased cooperation between established and emerging aid providers, including in the field of governance. Such cooperation would not only help to address pressing humanitarian challenges in Asia, but could improve the quality and impact of aid throughout the developing world.

Seasoned observers of Sino-U.S. relations are describing President Hu Jintao’s state visit this week as the most important bilateral event since Deng Xiaoping headed to Washington in 1979 or even since Nixon’s historic trip to China in 1972. That may be an exaggeration, but Hu and President Obama are meeting at a critical moment amid growing uncertainty and divisiveness in the relationship. Over the past year, the two countries have not only sparred over such longstanding issues as U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, human rights, and currency reform, but also over new problems such as South China Sea navigation rights, exports of rare earth minerals, and North Korean attacks on South Korea.

The Chinese government recently received a massive American delegation in Beijing when it hosted the second annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) on May 24-25. Led by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, the 200-strong delegation included other cabinet secretaries, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben B… Read more

When President Obama makes his first visit to China next week, he will meet a Chinese leadership with growing confidence in international affairs and observe an economy that is rapidly recovering from the global recession. At the same time, he will witness a country whose legal and political landscape is replete with contradictory trends and vexing… Read more