Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues

“Do not underestimate the power of this dialogue,” warned Professor Wong Dong. It was the first of four virtual meetings in the U.S.-China Student Dialogue, bringing together thirty students from Georgetown and Peking University (PKU) who otherwise would have never met. Despite being prepared by my many classes at Georgetown that covered U.S.-China relations, I entered the first Zoom call nervous and apprehensive of the tensions that awaited. Since the beginning of Trump’s second term, the United States and China have been locked in a trade war that has inflicted major costs on both economies and the global supply chain, culminating in China’s restrictions on rare earth exports just a few weeks prior to our meeting. While high level discussions between Trump and Xi Jinping at APEC relieved some of the stress, uncertainty over the future of U.S.-China relations remained poignant.

The program leader from PKU had set the tone by calling for a “G2RS” framework (two great powers, two responsible stakeholders) and the need for a new engagement consensus between our countries. As we launched into our breakout room session, shared humanity was immediately established by the universally observed awkward silence that kicks off any virtual discussion amongst students. All of a sudden it felt like I was back in Covid lockdown, excited to make new friends online and create connections despite the circumstances. Once we broke the ice with a brief round of introductions, we dove into discussions on how our different media landscapes shaped the perceptions of both countries, and the fundamental differences between our political systems.

It was awesome how much there was to talk about; everyone brought a hunger to learn what their peers across the planet were thinking, and, as the conversation took on a life of its own, we were always cut short by the meeting’s two hour limit. By realizing the subjectivity of our experiences, we not only expanded each other’s perspectives, but discovered the limitations of our understandings of the other country, as our views often left out pieces of the other’s reality while contorting or exaggerating others.

China-Russia relations was one example of this exchange. While the United States often frames China’s partnership with Russia as a betrayal of international justice, I learned that, from China’s perspective, Russia is one of a few great powers that approach China with mutual respect, seeking strategic cooperation instead of bondage through allyship, which aligns well with China’s diplomatic strategy. When it came to Taiwan, perspectives diverged even farther. Both nationalities had fundamentally different conceptions of Taiwan, and saw the situation from disparate points of view. But while agreement was difficult, dialogue was still possible. Approaching the topic without animosity allowed for vulnerability, as each side could acknowledge and learn from each other’s fears. Viewing invasion as international aggression, the American students were afraid that a successful Chinese attack on Taiwan would open the door to further military expansion. Meanwhile, the Peking University students explained that reunification with Taiwan was considered a domestic issue, and that China has no intentions to challenge the sovereignty of her neighbors.

Engaging in dialogue made us aware of how different experiences and assumptions drove differences in perspective. In a world where distrust and isolationism has made cross-cultural discourse between the United States and China increasingly rare, successful diplomacy starts with rebuilding connections through dialogue, laying the groundwork from which empathy and mutual understanding can grow. Whether our nations like it or not, the world order is transitioning away from the globalist model of deep interdependence that for so long provided the foundation of U.S.-China relations. As Professor Wong Dong reminded us in our first session, the future depends on our ability to find a peaceful new normal, where suspicion and antagonism are replaced by confidence and patience. These virtual dialogues have proven the possibility of this dream, but they are just the beginning—they have to be.

John Lotz-McMillen (C'26) is a student at Georgetown University studying biology and minoring in science, technology, and international affairs.