In advance of the American presidential election on Nov. 3, York University Professor Gregory Chin contributed to a collection of essays on U.S./China relations in the journal Asian Perspective. Johns Hopkins University Press is offering free access to the issue until the end of 2020.
Gregory Chin
This issue consists of pieces by leading scholars from around the world, including the U.S., covering the impact of this pivotal relationship on the range of key global issue-areas and themes – politics, economic relations, security, global governance, COVID-19, youth culture, global health, higher education cooperation – and on the differing regions of the world, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
The journal editors, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Professor Carla Freeman and Portland State University Professor Emeritus Mel Gurtov, asked the authors to think beyond "doom and gloom" and address whether there is any reason for optimism. The main trends and possible future outcomes, as presented by the authors are relevant for scholars and decision-makers alike.
Chin’s essay dealt with U.S./China and global governance, a fast-moving theme considering the Trump administration and China, and the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, Paris Climate Agreement, the UN, and G20 debt relief, with spillover effects on the world, and intended and unintended global re-positioning.
“I am honoured to contribute to this important and timely collection on U.S.-China relations, which are impacting the world so heavily, including Canada, and will do so for the foreseeable future,” Chin said. “Hopefully the shorter essay-style pieces will also be useful for teaching purposes in addition to research.”
Additional standout pieces include Villanova University’s Deborah Seligsohn for-the-record essay on the breakdown of U.S./China health cooperation. Seligsohn worked previously in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing as Environment, Science, Technology and Health Counselor, including on U.S. CDC and China CDC relations, and as principal advisor to World Resources Institute on their China Climate and Energy Program, in Beijing; U.S. Marine College Dean and Professor Christopher Yung on the bilateral security relationship; Peking University Professor Zha Daojiong on non-traditional security; Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies Professor Emeritus David Lampton on thinking through ethics/pragmatism in relations with China; and University of Pretoria Professor Garth le Pere's study of the consequences for Africa, and potential responses from the continent.