Searching for stability: What drives China's foreign policy towards the US?

The hardening of US policy towards China in recent years has largely been framed by America and its allies as a response to economic and political changes in Beijing implemented by President Xi Jinping. But the relationship between these two great powers vying for global influence is much more complicated and is shaped by complex two-way dynamics.

While much has been discussed about hardening US perceptions of China, there is limited available analysis on Beijing’s own shift in strategic thinking under intensifying China–US competition. This event, which will launch the forthcoming research paper 'China ‘under siege’: How the US’s hardening China policy is seen in Beijing', will highlight some of the significant changes in Chinese strategic thinking and their implications for Beijing’s US policy.

What are the key questions:

What are the main drivers shifting strategic thinking on Beijing’s US policy?
What are the thorniest issues between China and the US, and how do they reflect the breadth of contestation between the two countries?
How likely is Beijing to maintain current relations with Washington DC under a potential Trump administration with an even stronger China containment strategy?