Drawing from his personal experience growing up in Mao’s China and his research on international business and global strategy, Professor Shaomin Li will discuss the fundamental forces shaping U.S.-  China relations today. Moving beyond headlines, tariffs, and political personalities, the lecture will explore the deeper structural issues behind the growing rivalry between the United States and China: the rise of “China Inc.,”

the role of authoritarian political institutions in China’s economic success, the future of Taiwan, technology competition, and the broader question of whether the world’s two most powerful countries are moving toward coexistence, confrontation, or a new Cold War. The lecture will offer an analytical framework to help audiences better understand China’s past, present, and possible future.