Former Barack Obama adviser, Ryan Hass, suggests that the future of US-China relations could lie in the hands of a new generation of leaders.
What Happened: According to the podcast released by the Brookings Institution on Monday, Hass, now an analyst at the Washington-based think tank, stated that the best hope for US-China relations might be the emergence of leaders who are more focused on solving future problems rather than settling past grievances, SCMP reported.
However, he mentioned that this might not happen “during the Xi Jinping era.”
“Xi Jinping is mortal. He is not going to be in control of China forever. And our approach toward China needs to account for this.”
“A new generation of leaders in both the United States and China come forward and are focused on solving problems of the future rather than adjudicating grievances of the past.”
The former White House China consultant mentioned that if these leaders refrained from letting their distinctions “define the entirety of the relationship,” a more equitable situation would gradually emerge, allowing room for collaboration even amid escalating rivalry.
The former White House China adviser also stated that the upcoming elections in both Taiwan and the U.S. could increase the risk of instability in the Taiwan Strait. He expressed concern that any instability would more likely come from China than Taiwan. “The risk of China deciding to throw caution to the wind and pursue a cosmic roll of the dice to have a surprise invasion of Taiwan is a very low probability as well, but it’s not zero,” he said.
Why It Matters: Concerns over China’s potential to initiate an invasion of Taiwan by 2024 have been raised by experts, with Kyle Bass, founder of Hayman Capital Management, warning that Xi could “bring war to the West.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden also recently labeled China’s economic challenges as a “ticking time bomb.” He has pointed to indicators such as high unemployment and an aging workforce in China. His comments come after an executive order banning certain new U.S. investments in China, particularly in sensitive technologies. The move has caused considerable unease in China.
Produced in association with Benzinga
