Expert Voices Initiative

MEdia

Expert Voices Initiative

Interviews with Expert Scholars on U.S.-China Relations

The Expert Voices Initiative, formerly known as the American Voices Initiative, is a series of on-camera, sit-down interviews with leading experts on important issues in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship.

A Variety of Opinions

The series seeks to elicit candid opinions from experts across a range of topics, extending from economics, trade, and soft power initiatives to security, politics and foreign policy.

in-depth perspectives

Our goal is to provide for a global audience in-depth expert views from various national perspectives on a topical issue of significance in U.S.-China relations.

Wu Shicun on China's Perspective on U.S.-China Relations

March 15, 2024

On March 15, 2024, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) conducted an interview with Dr. Wu Shicun, Chairman of the ICAS Academic Advisory Board, to discuss the current state of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, summarize the trending topics at the 2024 Munich Security Conference, assess the situation in the South China Sea as tensions rise between China and the Philippine, and examine the value of people-to-people exchanges following the joint vision of the San Francisco Summit between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden. The interview was hosted virtually via Zoom by Research Associate Yilun Zhang.

The interview began with an overview of the current state of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship and how the election result in Taiwan and the upcoming 2024 U.S. elections may impact the bilateral relationship in the near term. Among other topics, Dr. Wu Shicun also provided a comprehensive review of his in-person experience at the 2024 Munich Security Conference where Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech outlining China’s vision to the western countries. Following a lengthy discussion on South China Sea perspectives, Dr. Wu Shicun stressed the critical value of people-to-people exchanges, especially Track-II dialogues, during a time when domestic politics is trumping foreign policymaking. The discussion concluded on a positive note that the two countries should correct their misunderstanding about each other and embrace positive views that allow coexistence.

Dr. Wu Shicun serves as Chair of the Advisory Board at the Institute for China-America Studies. He is also founding president, director of academic committee and senior research fellow at China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, chairman of the Huayang Institute for Research on Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, chairman of board of directors of the China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea, vice president of the China Institute for Free Trade Ports Studies, and adjunct professor of Nanjing University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Dr. Wu has a PhD in history. His research interests cover the history and geography of the South China Sea, maritime delimitation, maritime economy, international relations and regional security strategy. His recent books include: Hainan Free Trade Port: A Global Perspective (Guangdong People’s Publishing House, 2021), The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Challenges and Opportunities for Asia and Europe (Routledge, 2019), South China Sea Lawfare: Post-Arbitration Policy Options and Future Prospects (South China Sea Think Tank / Taiwan Center for Security Studies, 2017), Arbitration Concerning the South China Sea: Philippines versus China (Ashgate, 2016), UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the South China Sea (Ashgate, 2015), Non-Traditional Security Issues and the South China Sea-Shaping a New Framework for Cooperation (Ashgate, 2014), Recent Developments in the South China Sea Dispute: The Prospect of a Joint Development Regime (Routledge, 2014), and Solving Disputes for Regional Cooperation and Development in the South China Sea: A Chinese Perspective (Chandos Publishing, 2013). Dr. Wu has also published widely in academic journals and been the subject of frequent media interviews as a senior commentator on South China Sea, regional security issues, the Belt & Road Initiative and the development of Hainan Free Trade Port.

Gordon Houlden on Canada's Perspective on U.S.-China Relations

November 1, 2023

On November 1, 2023, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) conducted an interview with Prof. Gordon Houlden, Director Emeritus at the China Institute of the University of Alberta, to discuss the China-Canada-U.S. trilateral relationship, review the outlook of the China-Canada bilateral relationship, and assess the U.S.-China bilateral relationship from a third country perspective. The interview was hosted in-person at the ICAS office in Washington, D.C. by Research Associate Yilun Zhang.

There was an in-depth discussion on whether China’s relationship with the West, particularly that with Canada and the U.S., has changed over time. The interview discussed the importance of restoring and strengthening people-to-people exchanges between China and the U.S. and Canada during a period of uncertainty and geopolitical tensions among the great powers.

Professor Gordon Houlden is Director Emeritus of the China Institute, Professor of Political Science and Adjunct Professor of the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta. Professor Gordon Houlden joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1976, serving in Ottawa and abroad. Twenty-two of his thirty-two years in the Canadian Foreign Service were spent working on Chinese economic, trade and political affairs for the Government of Canada including five postings in China. He also served at the Canadian Embassy in Havana and Warsaw, and at Canada National Defence College. His last assignment before joining the University of Alberta in 2008 was as Director General of the East Asian Bureau of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, responsible for Greater China, Japan, the Koreas and Mongolia. Under Professor Houlden’s leadership, the China Institute focused on contemporary China studies, with an emphasis on Canada’s trade, investment and bilateral relations with the PRC, and Asian security issues. His third co-edited book on the South China Sea was published in the summer of 2021 by Bristol University Press.

William Vogt on the Chinese Internet

September 1, 2023

On September 1, 2023, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) conducted an interview with Mr. William Vogt, an author and adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University, to discuss the current state and future potential of the “Chinese Internet.” The interview was hosted in-person at the ICAS office in Washington, D.C. by Yilun Zhang, Trade ‘n Technology (TnT) Program Manager.

To many Western observers, China’s Internet appears to be a mysterious ‘black box’ of unknowns and mixed signals. On one hand, the Internet is becoming a symbol of China’s economic growth and opening up with the country’s rapidly growing community of netizens and e-commerce businesses. Widely-used social media platforms like WeChat and Douyin (TikTok) make China one of the leading countries in this new era of information technology. On the other hand, the Internet remains rather closed off due to the Chinese government’s tightening control and censorship over online content and its recent crackdowns on Internet and technology companies. How should observers properly assess China’s Internet society? Is the Chinese Internet a land of free speech or is it more-so a tool for centralized control? This EVI aims to discuss and assess the current state of China’s Internet and provide another depiction of this often unknown territory. Additionally, this event also seeks to explore the roles of various actors in this complex dynamic environment of the Chinese Internet.

William Vogt is an experienced consultant and social media analyst who has published articles and a full-length book on modern China and the impact of information technology in emerging market countries. He previously taught a survey of the Chinese Internet at the Catholic University of America. He has previous experience in global risk management serving public and private sector clients and was Founder and Managing Principal of Weilian Poder Global Consulting, a firm that facilitated client engagements with senior business leaders in mainland China.

Vogt is a two-time graduate of Georgetown University, with a B.S. from the School of Foreign Service and an M.A. from the Communication, Culture, and Technology program. At Georgetown, he founded and led the university’s New Media in Asia Research Group and won a Hanban (Confucius Institute) scholarship to visit Nanjing University. He also studied at Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing and Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador.

Wang Sheng on Blue Carbon Development in China

August 3, 2023

On August 3, 2023, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) conducted an interview with Mr. Wang Sheng, President of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCS) to discuss “Blue Carbon Development in China.” The interview was recorded in-person at the NISCS Office in Hainan, China, and hosted by Zhangchen Wang, ICAS Blue Carbon and Climate Change (BCCC) Program Research Assistant.

In recent years, there are more and more people recognizing the positive impact of blue carbon ecosystems on protecting coastal ecology and addressing climate change. Countries around the world are also increasing their emphasis on the protection and development of blue carbon ecosystems. However, not all countries have the ability to independently develop blue carbon resources, and the development potential of many countries is constrained by issues such as resource reserves, technology, and funding. Moreover, there is a lack of mutual trust among different countries on this issue, further restricting the potential for development. Thus, this EVI aims to explore the prospect and potential of blue carbon international cooperation. This event will also study whether the establishment of a set of blue carbon international standards by cooperation among countries will become the basis for promoting cooperation among blue carbon countries in the future.

Mr. Wang Sheng graduated from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, with a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics in English. For over 20 years, Mr. Wang’s career has been devoted to foreign affairs and South China Sea research. He has immersed himself in a variety of research fields including international relations and regional security strategy, China’s rights and interests in the South China Sea, island development, and the Hainan Free Trade Port. An author of over one hundred academic papers and a dozen volumes, Mr. Wang has worked on the front-line for China’s rights and interests in the South China Sea, and for the stability of that sea, promoting exchange and cooperation with the countries and regions surrounding it. Among other posts, Mr. Wang is a Specially-appointed Professor, and a senior Chinese foreign affairs professional. He is currently President of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS). He has studied at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Duke University in the United States, and Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

André Aquino on Cooperation Between Developed and Developing Countries on Blue Carbon Projects

May 25, 2023

On May 25, 2023, the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) Expert Voices Initiative (EVI) conducted an interview with Mr. André Rodrigues de Aquino, a Lead Environmental Specialist from the World Bank, on the theme of “Cooperation Between Developed and Developing Countries on Blue Carbon Projects.” The interview was hosted out of Washington, D.C. by Zhangchen Wang, ICAS Blue Carbon and Climate Change (BCCC) Program Research Assistant, while Mr. Aquino spoke remotely from Jakarta, Indonesia.

During the nearly one-hour interview, the host asked Aquino for his views and insights on issues regarding blue carbon damage and degradation in developing countries, challenges facing blue carbon protection, the sustainability of blue carbon development, and the future of blue carbon projects. Aquino responded to all the questions of interest that ICAS and its global audiences submitted while sharing his insightful assessments and valuable experiences. Through this interview, the audience can have a deeper understanding of the current status of blue carbon protection in developing countries, especially in Indonesia, where Aquino resides. Additionally, Aquino talked about the protection and development of blue carbon ecosystems in general, especially mangroves, in developing countries, the problems they are specifically facing, and potential solutions to those problems.

André Aquino is the Lead Environmental Specialist, Sustainable Development (SD) Program Leader for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Previous to this role, André has coordinated the World Bank Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) program in Indonesia and Timor-Leste since 2019, including the management of the landscapes and oceans programs. André has almost 20 years of experience in natural resources management and environmental issues, including forestry, biodiversity, carbon finance and biodiversity conservation finance, nature-based tourism, oceans, and coastal management, and rural development. He has managed several large-scale investment operations, led technical assistance support to Governments at national and sub-national levels, and conducted analytical work and policy dialogue. His work has mostly focused on the interaction between rural communities and renewable natural resources (forests, wildlife, fisheries), seeking mechanisms to ensure benefits flow to local communities and national economies to incentivize conservation and restoration of natural resources. Originally from Brazil, André worked in LAC (based in Brasilia and DC), Africa (based in DR Congo to cover forestry issues for the Congo Basin, and in Mozambique to cover ENB issues for southern Africa), in addition to HQ. André holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Environmental Economics from the University of Maryland (USA), an Executive Program Diploma in Forestry from the University of Yale (USA), an Environmental Law post-graduate degree from the University of Pará (Brazil) and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of Minas Gerais (Brazil).

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