Clinton's Asia Trip

{
  "authors": [
    "Minxin Pei"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "AP",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "East Asia",
    "China"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Economy",
    "Climate Change",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

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.

By Minxin Pei

Published on Feb 22, 2009

Source: CNN's GPS

Hillary Clinton's recent trip to Asia marks the first time that a U.S. Secretary of State has made the continent his or her first stop since 1961. To discuss her trip's implications, Carnegie's Minxin Pei joined Kishore Mahbubani and Shekhar Gupta on Fareed Zakaria's program, 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

Minxin Pei

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.

Recent Work

In The Media
How China Can Avoid the Next Conflict
- Minxin Pei
In The Media
Small Change
- Minxin Pei

Political Reform Economy Climate Change Foreign Policy North America United States East Asia China

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.

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Commentary
Carnegie Politika
What Does Central Europe’s Post-Orban Russia Policy Look Like?
Though Orban is gone, Putin can still count on some like-minded individuals in Central and Eastern Europe. However, they will seek to avoid open confrontation with EU institutions over Ukraine and their ties with Moscow.

Dimitar Bechev
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Are Russia-Japan Relations Really Warming Up?
The truth is that Japan’s government is seeking a degree of reengagement but at a vastly reduced level than under Abe. Most significantly, Japan has shown no willingness to ease sanctions.
James D.J. Brown
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Brussels and Baku Are Talking Again: What Next?
Azerbaijan’s relations with the EU appear to be going from strength to strength after several years in the deep freeze following the military escalation in Karabakh in 2023 and Azerbaijan’s bitter fallout with France and several other EU member states.
Shujaat Ahmadzada
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
In Russia, Private Companies Have Been Left to Pick Up the Tab for Ukrainian Drone Attacks
The cost of air defense has become an unregistered tax on revenue for businesses. While military rents are consolidated in the federal budget, the costs of defense are being spread across the balance sheets of companies and regional governments.
Alexandra Prokopenko
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
As Trump Threatens to Quit NATO, the Baltic States Are Playing for Time
Governments in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania want to ensure that a U.S. military withdrawal would not leave them dangerously exposed to a Russian attack.
Sergejs Potapkins

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

What Does Central Europe’s Post-Orban Russia Policy Look Like?

Though Orban is gone, Putin can still count on some like-minded individuals in Central and Eastern Europe. However, they will seek to avoid open confrontation with EU institutions over Ukraine and their ties with Moscow.

Dimitar Bechev

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Are Russia-Japan Relations Really Warming Up?

The truth is that Japan’s government is seeking a degree of reengagement but at a vastly reduced level than under Abe. Most significantly, Japan has shown no willingness to ease sanctions.

James D.J. Brown

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Brussels and Baku Are Talking Again: What Next?

Azerbaijan’s relations with the EU appear to be going from strength to strength after several years in the deep freeze following the military escalation in Karabakh in 2023 and Azerbaijan’s bitter fallout with France and several other EU member states.

Shujaat Ahmadzada

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

In Russia, Private Companies Have Been Left to Pick Up the Tab for Ukrainian Drone Attacks

The cost of air defense has become an unregistered tax on revenue for businesses. While military rents are consolidated in the federal budget, the costs of defense are being spread across the balance sheets of companies and regional governments.

Alexandra Prokopenko

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

As Trump Threatens to Quit NATO, the Baltic States Are Playing for Time

Governments in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania want to ensure that a U.S. military withdrawal would not leave them dangerously exposed to a Russian attack.

Sergejs Potapkins