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Introduction
Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
The Rita Hauser Annual Event
U.S. Rebalance to Asia
Session 1: Assessing U.S. Asia Policy
Following opening remarks by Rita Hauser, Michael Fullilove and Daniel Russel join Carol A. Giacomo to launch the U.S. Rebalance to Asia Symposium. Russel and Fullilove evaluate U.S. Asia policy, and consider the state of U.S.-China relations, U.S. alliances, and economic initiatives, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Over the course of the discussion, the two speakers address a range of topics, including tensions in the East and South China Seas, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), North Korea, and the 2016 U.S. presidential elections.
Session 2: Xi Jinping and China's New Era of Reform
Elizabeth C. Economy, Yanzhong Huang, Leon Berkelmans, and Merriden Varrall join Joseph Kahn to discuss China's future, with a focus on Chinese President Xi Jinping's leadership. The panel considers China's shifting economic paradigm, which has seen the country move from a growth model based on investments to one more reliant on burgeoning consumer demand. The panelists assess this economic shift in light of Xi's nationwide anti-corruption campaign. The discussion additionally explores China's legal and political reforms, and its evolving foreign policy.
Session 3: Understanding Modi, Abe, and Jokowi
Alyssa Ayres, Sheila A. Smith, and Aaron Connelly join Michael Fullilove to discuss the leadership priorities and styles of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The panelists, each focusing on one of the aforementioned leaders, outline Asia's shifting political landscape.
Session 4: Rebalancing U.S. Alliances in Asia
Euan Graham, Sheila A. Smith, and Scott A. Snyder join Jamie Metzl to discuss the prospects for U.S. alliances in Asia. The panel considers the state of the United States' relationships with its allies and partners in the region, and how the Obama administration is shifting the nature of these partnerships to buttress its ongoing rebalance to Asia. The discussion considers tensions between South Korea and Japan—two countries that are major U.S. allies in northeast Asia. The panelists go on to consider the effect of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Japan's shifting military posture, and the role of China's rise in shaping the expectations of U.S. allies.
