The Heat: China-US relations at 40

The Heat

Forty years ago this month China and the United States established diplomatic ties. How has their relationship developed over the last four decades and where does it stand now?  

Just weeks after relations were normalized in January 1979, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited President Jimmy Carter at the White House. The visit took place as China was launching major reform and opening-up policies that would transform the nation.

CGTN recently assembled a distinguished panel of guests to discuss all of that during a special Town Hall program recorded at The George Washington University.

During the conversation about China’s reform and opening-up policies, the discussion also turned to the China–U.S. relationship.

We explored a range of issues—everything from trade to current and future challenges. And for this show, we put together some of those moments. 

To discuss:

  • Zhou Jingxing, minister-counselor and chief of Political Section, Chinese Embassy in U.S.
  • Martin Jacques, senior fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University. He is also author of “When China Rules the World”
  • Yukon Huang, Senior Fellow with the Asia program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is also the author of “The China Conundrum”
  • Robert Hormats, former U.S. Under Secretary of State and vice chairman at the Kissinger Associates

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