Minxin Pei
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}Source: Getty
Clinton's Asia Trip
With Chinese economic growth rates decelerating beyond even the most pessimistic predictions and a leadership succession in three or four years, the CCP is more concerned about quelling internal unrest than engaging with the United States on pressing global issues.
Source: CNN's GPS

Pei cautioned against growing protectionist sentiment in the United States. Noting that 50% of Chinese exports are manufactured by American companies and other multinationals, he explained that erecting barriers against those exports would ultimately harm the American economy.
He also observed that the global financial crisis has rattled the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), especially since growth in China has decelerated beyond even the most pessimistic predictions. With a leadership succession coming up in three or four years, Pei suspects that the CCP is more concerned about quelling internal unrest than on engaging with the United States on pressing issues. Nonetheless, he said that one potential substantive outcome of the talks could be a Sino-American climate change agreement.
About the Author
Former Adjunct Senior Associate, Asia Program
Pei is Tom and Margot Pritzker ‘72 Professor of Government and the director of the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College.
- How China Can Avoid the Next ConflictIn The Media
- Small ChangeIn The Media
Minxin Pei
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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