The rise of China is profoundly altering the international system. In just three short decades, China has moved from an economic backwater to the world’s number two economy. Its economic footprint is felt everywhere from Angola to Argentina. As the world’s largest energy consumer and emitter of carbon, its development is profoundly affecting the world’s environment and resources. A stronger China craves respect and is asserting its political and security interests, especially in Asia.
Even as China is changing the world, however, the country itself is changing. President Xi Jinping has ushered in ambitious economic reforms and a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign. Chinese politics, economics, and foreign policy are all evolving rapidly.
Few political leaders have deep expertise with China. Two exceptions are Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia and a fluent Mandarin speaker, and Henry M. Paulson, Jr., former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and chairman of the Paulson Institute, with long and deep experience with the country and its leaders. Together, they have unrivaled experience with the issues China’s emergence is raising for its leaders, the region, and the world.
Asia Society, in partnership with the Paulson Institute, is proud to present Mr. Rudd and Mr. Paulson in a discussion about the future of China, and what its rise means for all of us.
