The National Security Institute was excited to host the latest event in our China’s Rise: Confronting China’s Challenge to the World Order project on Wednesday, December 9 at 11 AM.
Over the last decade, China has emerged as a global economic superpower, dominating the export market and building frameworks like the Belt and Road Initiative to expand its influence. This event will examine how the incoming presidential administration and new Congress should counter China’s economic statecraft and what must be done to protect U.S. national security interests, as well as how the U.S. should work with like-minded partners and allies to strengthen our own position in the world order.
This event features:
Kylie Atwood, National Security Correspondent, CNN
Ryan Hass, Former National Security Council Director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia
Ambassador Kurt Tong, Former U.S. Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Kylie Atwood is a national security correspondent for CNN based in Washington, D.C. Since joining the network in 2019, Atwood has reported on developments in U.S. national security, including the U.S. impeachment process and U.S.-North Korea talks. In January of 2020 Atwood was included in Crain’s NewsPro’s 12 to Watch in TV News.
Prior to joining CNN, Atwood was the CBS News State Department reporter. She has reported from dozens of countries around the world, including Russia, Afghanistan, China, and Mexico. On one of Pompeo’s trips to North Korea, Atwood was the sole pool reporter on the trip, allowing her to report on direct conversations with North Korean officials.
Ryan Hass is a fellow and the Michael H. Armacost Chair in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings, where he holds a joint appointment to the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for East Asia Policy Studies. He is also the Interim Chen-Fu and Cecilia Yen Koo Chair in Taiwan Studies. Hass focuses his research and analysis on enhancing policy development on the pressing political, economic, and security challenges facing the United States in East Asia.
From 2013 to 2017, Hass served as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the National Security Council (NSC) staff. In that role, he advised President Obama and senior White House officials on all aspects of U.S. policy toward China, Taiwan, and Mongolia, and coordinated the implementation of U.S. policy toward this region among U.S. government departments and agencies.
Ambassador Kurt Tong is a Partner at The Asia Group, where he leads the firm’s work in Japan and the broader East Asia region. A leading expert in diplomacy and economic affairs in East Asia, Ambassador Tong served for three decades in the Department of State as a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service.
Most recently, Ambassador Tong served as Consul General and Chief of Mission in Hong Kong and Macau from 2016 to 2019, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs at the State Department from 2014 to 2016, and the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo from 2011 to 2014. Prior to these positions, Ambassador Tong served as Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2011, leading the U.S. chairmanship of the organization during one of the most productive periods for APEC.