Leadership Transitions: The Stakes for U.S. and China
MUMBAI, December 12, 2012 —The U.S. and Chinese political leadership transitions are among the biggest news items of the year, and there is much speculation on what the impact of new political terms at these global powers will mean for the rest of the world.
Exploring this topic at a private roundtable titled Implications of the US and Chinese Political Leadership Transitions, Asia Society India Centre presented a discussion with Tom Nagorski, Executive Vice President of Asia Society and former Managing Editor for International Coverage at ABC News.
The audience engaged in a broad-ranging discussion, beginning with a comparison between the current rhetoric of the elections in the U.S. and China. During the discussion, it was highlighted that in the US elections “China never came up in a positive light”, and that “China is seen as currency manipulator”. The Chinese, it was thought, view the U.S. as trouble makers, and that “events rather than individuals are what we need to watch right now” in China.
It was also acknowledged that the future will not be a purely binary relationship between the two countries- stakeholders such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were predicted to be important players.
Besides national security, China’s economy was also an important topic of discussion. The performance of Chinese investments around the world, the new leadership’s approach towards China’s economic enterprises, and the low number of privately run companies in China were underscored as defining factors for the future. The implications of corruption in the Politburo on Chinese society were also identified as areas of concern.
This programme was part of our BASIC (Breakfast at Asia Society India Centre) series, which brings eminent speakers from the fields of Asian business, arts, culture and policy to Asia Society Members and Patrons, and provides a senior level platform for discussion on issues of current interest affecting Asia and the world.