Daniel Russel's Talk on U.S.-China Relations in an Age of Transition | Asia Society Skip to main content

Unsupported Browser Detected.
It seems the web browser you're using doesn't support some of the features of this site. For the best experience, we recommend using a modern browser that supports the features of this website. We recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge

  • About
    • About Asia Society
    • Our People
    • Our Board
    • Mission & Vision
    • Careers & Internships
    • Contact Us
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
    • Event Recaps
  • Support
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Corporate Members
  • Blog
    • All Posts
    • Event Recaps
  • Video
  • Shop
Southern California
Search
Southern California
  • About
    • About Asia Society
    • Our People
    • Our Board
    • Mission & Vision
    • Careers & Internships
    • Contact Us
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
    • Event Recaps
  • Support
    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Corporate Members
  • Blog
    • All Posts
    • Event Recaps
  • Video
  • Shop

  • All Posts
  • Event Recaps

Daniel Russel's Talk on U.S.-China Relations in an Age of Transition

Dick Drobnick and Danny Russel

ASSC Chairman Dick Drobnick and Danny Russel.

Danny Russel's Talk

ASSC board members, diplomats and business executives attended the roundtable.

Danny Russel's Talk

ASSC board members, diplomats and business executives attended the roundtable.

Danny Russel with Akira Chiba, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles

Danny Russel with Mr. Akira Chiba, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles.

Danny Russel with Dick Drobnick, Chairman of ASSC

Danny Russel with Dick Drobnick, Chairman of Asia Society Southern California.

Danny Russel with Akira Shiraishi, Partner at Capital Group

Danny Russel with Akira Shiraishi, Partner at the Capital Group Companies.

Enlarge Hide captions

America’s retreat from Asia under President Trump and China’s growing assertiveness create a dilemma for Washington’s Asian allies and pose risks for long-term U.S. interests, Daniel Russel, Vice President of International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told an Asia Society Southern California audience on June 5 in Los Angeles.

 

“There is a diminished reliance on the U.S., which is not a good trend for U.S.,” he said, adding that the consequences could outlive Trump’s presidency. “Driven by Chinese growth and experiences with the U.S. in the past few years, regimes in Asia won’t unlearn these lessons when a new administration comes to office, whether that is in one-and-a-half years or five years. Countries won’t disband new institutions, and won’t rework them for a new internationalist president.”

 

Asian nations are developing new strategies to address the changing geopolitical dynamic, opting to hedge their relationships with the U.S. and China rather than choose between them. “They want connectivity; Asia does not want to choose…between the U.S. and China,” Russel observed. In some cases, there has been a tilt toward China. In others, like joint military exercises among ASEAN nations and greater military cooperation between Japan and Australia, the message is greater self-reliance. Asian countries still admire the U.S. and want it to play an active role in the region, but their confidence in Washington has dropped dramatically in the absence of coherent policy.

 

Russel touched on a wide range of issues relating to the U.S.-China relationship and wider trends within the region, from the U.S.-China trade war to cyber warfare and security and the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement talks that exclude Washington. He stressed that U.S.-China ties are complex and framing the rivalry as one between enemies is harmful. “Sooner or later, if you treat China as an enemy, you will have an enemy,” he said. “But for U.S.-China relations, we need to find what we can agree on, what we don’t agree on, and find ways to speak and talk to each other.”

 

After speaking at the breakfast roundtable, attended by ASSC board members, diplomats and business executives, Russel spoke at a luncheon organized by the World Affairs Council of Orange County.

 
  • All Posts
  • Event Recaps
About
  • Mission & History
  • Our People
  • Become a Member
  • Career Opportunities
  • Corporate Involvement
visit us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
global network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, D.C.
resources
  • Arts
  • Asia Society Magazine
  • ChinaFile
  • Current Affairs
  • Education
  • For Kids
  • Policy
  • Video
shop
  • AsiaStore
initiatives
  • Arts & Museum Summit
  • Asia 21 Young Leaders
  • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
  • Asia Society Policy Institute
  • Asian Women Empowered
  • Center on U.S.-China Relations
  • Coal + Ice
  • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
  • Global Cities Education Network
  • Global Talent Initiatives
  • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
  • U.S.-China Dialogue
  • U.S.-China Museum Summit
Connect
Email Signup For the media
Asia Society logo
©2023 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | Accessibility | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Contact

Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government.
The views expressed by Asia Society staff, fellows, experts, report authors, program speakers, board members, and other affiliates are solely their own. Learn more.

 

 

  • Visit Us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Global Network
  • Australia
  • France
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, DC